Research Librarian
Alana Kumbier
they/them or she/her
Contact:
Frost Library
413-542-5454
Subjects: Arabic, Asian Languages & Civilizations, Black Studies, Chinese, Classics, History, Japanese, Philosophy
Tip: What are reference sources, and why would I use them?
Reference sources can include encyclopedias, bibliographies, dictionaries, handbooks, and atlases.
- They provide overviews of and background information on a topic
- They help you identify or refine your topic
- They provide quick, reliable facts
- They include bibliographies that will lead you to additional sources of information on your topic
You can find the Library's collection of reference books on Floor 1 of Frost. We also have many online databases that include collections of edited scholarly encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources.
Reference Sources
Below are links to reference sources and collections that are most useful for this subject:
Collections of reference works
Use these databases to search the indexes and tables of contents of multiple reference books at once.
- Reference Universe This link opens in a new windowSearchable index of the library's entire reference collection, both print and electronic.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window70 reference e-books, including multivolume works like the Encyclopedia of Religion, American Decades, and more.
- Oxford Reference This link opens in a new windowDigitized entries from Oxford's Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias, spanning multiple subject areas.
- Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new windowPeer-reviewed, long-form articles written by leading scholars; our access includes American History, Latin American History, Politics, and International Studies.
Subject-Specific Reference Works
These are key reference works in the history of Africa and the diaspora.
Africa South of the Sahara: Index to Periodical Literature 1900-1970 by Call Number: AC Frost Reference xDT351 .L53Index to journal articles about countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, published between 1900-1970.
Encyclopedia of African History by Call Number: AC Frost Reference DT20 .E53 2005ISBN: 1579582451The Encyclopedia of African History includes entries on the history of the entire African continent, from the earliest evolution of human beings in Africa to the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Key Events in African History by Call Number: AC Frost Reference DT20 .F35 2002This reference guide to African history provides entries on 36 watershed events that shaped the history of the continent from the prehistoric past to the dawn of the 21st century.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Historiography - Methods and Sources by Call Number: AC Frost Reference DT19 .O96 2019ISBN: 9780190698706Introduction to methods, methodologies and sources for African historiography. Entries include substantial bibliographies and resources for further study.
- African Studies ThesaurusA structured vocabulary of more than 13000 English terms in the field of African studies, the African Studies Thesaurus is developed and maintained by staff at the library of the African Studies Centre Leiden.