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Resources for Women's History

WebCat - the database used to locate books and all other materials owned by the University Libraries.  Don't forget that "ink on paper" resources are generally authoritative and are still the easiest to use for many questions.  Remember too, that "Power Search" allows you to limit to by item type (books or journals for example), by language, publication date(s) etc.  Don't forget to OR synonyms and related terms, and use truncation -

WorldCat - contains records of over 95 million items in over 400 languages from over 60,000 participating libraries from around the world.  As you might expect, most records are of books, but you will find records of any conceivable item a library might own including audio and video recordings, computer programs, archival materials, maps, musical scores and more.  Some items in this database date to before 1,000 B.C. Approximately one million items are being added annually, and WorldCat is updated daily.  (remote access requires Outlook username and password)

Research Databases - these proprietary databases are leased by the Shenandoah University Libraries at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars annually.  They include materials which are accurate and authoritative and have search interfaces designed by experts to make your search for information easier.  Using these databases will generally provide more accurate information, more quickly and easily, than using "free" Internet sources.

Selected Websites - Caution:  The sites listed below are available "free" of charge on the Internet.  They have been selected by experts for their accuracy and reliability.  However, one should always use a critical eye in evaluating information found for free on the WWW. 

 

Library Home - Catalog - Journal Locator - Databases - Internet Resources - Media - Reference/Instruction - User Services - General Info -
Off-Campus Support - Forms - Faculty Info - Other Libraries - Site Index

        Research Databases        

Academic OneFile - provides indexing to more than 11,000 scholarly journals in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. The fulltext of articles is available for approximately 3,500 of the titles indexed. Some of the journals indexed may be available in the University Libraries. (remote access requires username and password)

JSTOR - an archive of scholarly journals providing the fulltext (PDF files) of hundreds of  journals from all disciplines.  Coverage extends back decades for many titles, but most have a "moving wall" which blocks access to the most recent articles.

Wilson OmniFile Full-Text, Mega Edition - provides access to indexing and abstracting for approximately 3,500 journals and magazines from the humanities, social sciences, and science and engineering, with fulltext available for about 1,750 titles.  Coverage for some titles begins as early as 1982.  (remote access requires username and password)

General OneFile - provides indexing to more than 10,000 periodicals and scholarly journals in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. The fulltext of articles is available for approximately 4,000 of the titles indexed. Some of the journals indexed may be available in the University Libraries. (remote access requires username and password)

Arts and Humanities Citation Index - remember, this database is not just for history, but other subjects in the humanities also.  It has over 2.5 million records taken from over 1,300 journals and magazines.  Indexing for some titles begins as early as 1980.  (remote access requires username and password)

Harp Week - provides fulltext access to issues of Harper's Weekly: Journal of Civilization published between January 3, 1857 and December 29, 1877.  You can both browse and search;  Harp Week provides indexes by subject, illustrations, advertisements, and published literature, or you can search the fulltext of all available issues.  One can also browse by date.  (remote access requires username and password)

Journal Locator - is an alphabetical list of journals and magazines to which the University Libraries provide access.  This title list will, in most cases, tell you the dates available for a particular electronic title, and you can connect to the appropriate database.  You can then search the database for the title you need. 
If we subscribe to a title in print format, SU Journal Collection will be stated and you can connect to the catalog record which will show our subscription holdings.  The catalog record will tell you whether a title is available in paper or on microfilm.
Approximately 27,000 titles are now listed.

NEW  --  Search and Browse Journal Locator  -  Find Both Print and Electronic Journals Available Through University Libraries

InterLibrary Loan Forms - just click here to bring up the forms for books and journals.  Remember, you must make sure that we do not have access to what you need in our local collection, BEFORE you make a request. 

WorldCat - contains records of over 95 million items in over 400 languages from over 60,000 participating libraries from around the world.  As you might expect, most records are of books, but you will find records of any conceivable item a library might own including audio and video recordings, computer programs, archival materials, maps, musical scores and more.  Some items in this database date to before 1,000 B.C. Approximately one million items are being added annually, and WorldCat is updated daily.  (remote access requires Outlook username and password)
 

    Remember to read on-screen instructions; some systems are actually quite friendly.

     Use online help features for more detailed explanations of how to search each particular
     database.
 

     Always feel free to ask a librarian for help!!

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                         Web Sites            

Caution:  The sites listed below are available free of charge on the Internet.  They have been selected by experts for their accuracy and reliability, however one should always use a critical eye in evaluating information found free on the WWW.
 

Best Sources for Women's History - Focus on Virginia

American Women's History:  A Research Guide - twenty seven subject areas including general and biographical sources. Courtesy of Kenneth Middleton of Middle Tennessee State

The Virginia Historical Society - "The library collection contains nearly two hundred thousand items, including books and bound serials, Confederate imprints, sheet music, broadsides, and newspapers. The manuscripts collection contains more than seven million processed items, including family and personal papers, records of businesses and organizations, diaries, account books, scrapbooks, albums, Bible records, maps, and genealogical materials."

Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities - "The APVA is the oldest statewide preservation organization in the nation. Founded in 1889, with the purpose of rescuing Jamestown Island from decay, the APVA began to acquire and preserve properties of all description. Today the APVA maintains 34 historic properties. The APVA relies on its national membership to continue its preservation and research activities."

Suggested Readings on Virginia History - courtesy of the Library of Virginia, this website suggests readings on every era of Virginia history - from colonial and revolutionary to twentieth century.  It also recommends readings on African Americans, Native Americans of Virginia, the Civil War and more.  Requires Adobe Acrobat

Virginia Heritage:  Guides to Manuscript and Archival Collections in Virginia - Courtesy of VIVA, The Virtual Library of Virginia

Primary Source
Documenting the American South:  Beginnings to 1920 - this browsable and searchable site features fulltext works of southern literature and personal narratives of slaves .  Courtesy to the University of North Carolina

 

Metasites for American History

WWW - Virtual Library - HISTORY: UNITED STATES - courtesy of the University of Kansas and Lynn H. Nelson
American and British History Resources on the Internet - a metasite for scholarly sources.  It's not yet searchable, but is browsable by subject area and chronologically.  Courtesy of Rutgers University

General Sources

American Memory:  Historical Collections from the National Digital Library -  Library of Congress provides "a gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States. The site offers more than 7 million digital items from more than 100 historical collections"
National Archives and Records Administration - a federal agency charged with the preservation and access to historical documents provides this browsable, searchable site which has over 83,000 digitized copies.  Examples include the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation
University
The American Folklife Center:  The Library of Congress Index of Native American Resources on the Internet - a browsable metasite, some subject areas lack depth, but provides many worthwhile links nonetheless
NativeWeb - covers indigenous peoples not only of North America, but is international in scope
 

Online Documents for the Study of American History

Making of America - University of Michigan - primary sources in American social history.  The University of Michigan has scanned over 1,600 books and 50,000 articles, and they consider this just a good start.  It's searchable, but if you want to browse, it's like browsing "the stacks of a major archive."
Making of America - Cornell University - materials accessible here are Cornell University Library's contributions to Making of America (MOA), a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology.  This site provides access to 267 monograph volumes and over 100,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints
Documents for the Study of American History - a "bibliography of primary documents available on the Internet which are essential for the study of US history." 
The Avalon Project at Yale University - reproductions of historical documents in many fields.  Examples are the Jefferson Papers, The Federalists Papers, and The Confederate States of America Papers
History Channel Speeches -  "Hear the words that changed the world.  From Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech to Lou Gehrig's farewell to baseball"  Brief background information is provided to help place each speech in context
Early Americas Digital Archive - "The Early Americas Digital Archive (EADA) is a collection of electronic texts and links to texts originally written in or about the Americas from 1492 to approximately 1820. Open to the public for research and teaching purposes"  Courtesy of Professor Ralph Bauer, at the University of Maryland at College Park.

Historical Maps and History of Cartography

Map History/History of Cartography:  The Gateway to the Subject - courtesy of the Institute for Historical Research, School of Advanced Study at the University of London
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection - is perhaps the single best source of maps and map information on the Internet.  Courtesy of the University of Texas-Austin

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