The Basics

Restricted Access

Many of the resources listed in the sections below are marked Restricted Access. You should have no problem connecting to these from any networked computer on campus. However in order to use these from off-campus you must log in with your Rutgers NetID. For instructions see the Libraries' Remote Access to Library Resources.

Off-Campus Links

If you are not on-campus, use these links to connect to Rutgers' library resources. If you haven't already logged in with your NetID [your pegasus username and password] these links will take you to the login page.

Getting Books From Other Rutgers Libraries

If a book that you need is not available (not owned/checked out) at the Dana Library, but is available from another Rutgers Library, you can request delivery of that book to Dana by bringing up the record for the book in IRIS and clicking on tbe Deliver/Recall button. Show Me

Book Not Available/Not Owned by the Rutgers Libraries?

The fastest way to get a copy of a book that is not owned or not available (checked out/on Reserve/missing etc.) at the Rutgers Libraries is to request it through E-Z Borrow. E-Z Borrow books are normally received within about five working days. Tell Me More

Becoming an 'Expert' User

Want to maximize your use of Library resources? Check out Searchpath, the Libraries' interactive tutorial.

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Getting Started: Some Basic Resources

Encyclopedias

Scholarly encyclopedias can give you an overview of a topic as well as some basic bibliography

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures. Edited by Daniel Balderston, Mike Gonzalez, and Ana M. Lopez. New York, Routledge, 2000. 3 volumes
Signed entries focusing on social, political, and cultural developments in Latin America and the Caribbean since 1920. Many entries relating to popular culture. Entries over 400 words include a short list of suggested readings.
Dana Call Number: Ref. F1406 .E515 2000

Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics. Westport, Conn., Oryx Press, 2002.
Chapters on 20 nations and two U.S. Commonwealths; emphasis on twentieth century political history. For each country includes background and entries on key individuals, parties, movements and events, etc., followed by a bibliography of print and electronic resources.
Dana Call Number: Ref. F1410 .E56 2002

Encyclopedia of Comparative Education and National Systems of Education. Edited by T. Neville Postlethwaite. New York, Pergamon Press, 1988.
General articles on comparative education followed by articles, with bibliography, on the educational systems of 159 countries.
Dana Call Number: Ref. LB43 .E53 1988

World Education Encyclopedia. Edited by George Thomas Kurian. New York, Facts on File, 1988. 3 volumes.
Dana Call Number: Ref. LB15 .K79 1988

Country Resources

Country Studies
Online versions of the Country Studies/Area Handbooks series published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. A basic resource for an overview of a particular country. Note: The Handbooks found here are electronic versions of studies published between 1988 and 1998, when Congress withdrew funding for this program. Funding was restored for 2004 and work continues on several new editions as well as updated Country Profiles. However, no funding was allocated in 2005 or 2006.

CountryWatch
Includes reports on 191 countries worldwide with up-to-date political, economic, cultural, business, and environmental information, as well as current and archived country-specific news.
Off-Campus Access Restricted Access

Portals to the World
The Library of Congress's excellent collection of selected links to in-depth information about the nations and areas of the world. Arranged by country or area, then by categories such as "Business, Commerce, and Economy;" "Government, Politics, and Law;" "Science and Technology;" "Society," etc.

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Finding Books: Library Catalogs

IRIS is the online catalog for all the Rutgers University Libraries except the Newark and Camden Law Libraries. Use IRIS to find out if the Rutgers Libraries have the specific books or journals that you need, or to locate books on topics that you're researching. Show Me How

Some "SUBJECT begins with" searches that you might find useful:

• AIDS Disease Brazil
• Cuba Race Relations
• Education Spain
• Human Rights Argentina
• Spain Emigration and Immigration

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Finding Articles plus: Indexes and Databases

This is a selected list of databases that you may find useful. There are many other indexes that may focus more specifically on the particular topic that you are researching. Check out the complete list of Rutgers online indexes and databases.

Social Sciences Full Text
The basic index for finding articles in the social sciences. Indexes over 550 of the core, English language journals in social science disciplines including political science, public welfare, urban studies, sociology and social work, and women's studies. Indexes many journals back to 1982 and, beginning with 1995, includes many full-text articles.
Off-Campus Link Restricted Access.

Humanities Full Text
Humanities Full Text is the basic index for finding articles in the humanities disciplines. It indexes over 550 of the core, English language journals in history, literature, art and music, philosophy and religion. It indexes many journals back to 1984 and, beginning with 1995, includes many full-text articles.
Off-Campus Access Restricted Access.

While Social Sciences Full Text and/or Humanities Full Text will usually give you what you need for a basic research paper, indexes that focus on specific areas or disciplines may considerably expand your research base.

Need materials relating to Latin Amerca? Or Spanish-language materials?

Hispanic-American Periodical Index [HAPI]
1970- . The major multidisciplinary periodical index for Latin American Studies. Indexes over 400 scholarly journals published in the U.S. and Latin America.
Off-Campus Access Restricted Access.

Handbook of Latin American Studies
1935- . Selective, annotated bibliography of books, book chapters, articles, and conference papers published in the field of Latin American studies. Coverage alternates between social sciences and the humanities on a biennial basis.

Ethnic NewsWatch
A full-text bi-lingual (English and Spanish) collection of approximately 270 newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic, minority, and native press. Over 1,000,000 articles dating back to 1960.
Off-Campus Access Restricted Access.

International News Archives
Selective list of Central American, Caribbean, and South American newspapers with searchable archives.

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Maps

Maps of the Americas
Digitized maps from the Perry-Castaņeda Library at the University of Texas in Austin.

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Dictionaries

Spanish to English and English to Spanish dictionaries can be found in the Dana Library Ref. PC4640 section.

Spanish to Spanish dictionaries can be found in the Dana Library Ref. PC4625-PC4630 section.

SpanishDICT.com: Dictionary of Spanish and English
Translate words from Spanish to English, or English to Spanish. Includes over 10,000 audio pronunciations.

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Corrections?
Natalie Borisovets (natalieb@andromeda.rutgers.edu)
John Cotton Dana Library
February 26, 2007