Encyclopedias, Biographies & More
The Library has a large collection of reference works, most of them in electronic format. Discover relevant encyclopedias, handbooks and companions through a search in the Articles & more file of the Library's catalog. Simply limit your search results to Reference under Format.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias (Oxford University Press)
Offers peer-reviewed topical introductions and literature reviews written by well-regarded authorities. Available in selected subject areas. New topics are regularly added.
Oxford Bibliographies (Oxford University Press) Tutorial
Presents peer-reviewed, annotated bibliographies and expert commentary on current scholarship in selected disciplines. Includes among others African American Studies, Atlantic History, Islamic Studies, and Latin American Studies.
Gale eBooks
Offers access to a collection of digital encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and directories in the arts, social sciences, business, and sciences. Formerly known as Gale Virtual Reference Library.
African American Studies Center (Oxford University Press)
Contains a selection of information sources ranging from the authoritative Encyclopedia of African American History to the African American National Biography project. Selected primary sources, maps, images, charts, and tables round out the collection.
American National Biography Online (Oxford University Press)
Presents authoritative biographies of influential people who lived in what is now the United States. Covers only deceased subjects. Includes portraits, if available, and bibliographies with citations to works by and about featured individuals.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias (Oxford University Press)
Offers peer-reviewed topical introductions and literature reviews written by well-regarded authorities. Available in selected subject areas. New topics are regularly added.
Oxford Bibliographies (Oxford University Press) Tutorial
Presents peer-reviewed, annotated bibliographies and expert commentary on current scholarship in selected disciplines. Includes among others African American Studies, Atlantic History, Islamic Studies, and Latin American Studies.
Gale eBooks
Offers access to a collection of digital encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and directories in the arts, social sciences, business, and sciences. Formerly known as Gale Virtual Reference Library.
African American Studies Center (Oxford University Press)
Contains a selection of information sources ranging from the authoritative Encyclopedia of African American History to the African American National Biography project. Selected primary sources, maps, images, charts, and tables round out the collection.
American National Biography Online (Oxford University Press)
Presents authoritative biographies of influential people who lived in what is now the United States. Covers only deceased subjects. Includes portraits, if available, and bibliographies with citations to works by and about featured individuals.
Example:
A keyword search for slavery and Quakers in the "Dictionary of American History" brings up an essay on Antislavery. After a close reading of the essay you could decide to focus your topic on the role of women in the abolitionist movement or on Angelina Grimke. The bibliography of the essay leads to a number of relevant secondary sources. The essay also includes helpful leads to primary sources such as the titles of two famous antislavery newspapers. The Liberator is available online in the "American Periodicals Series" collection (see Finding Primary Sources). An author search for Angelina Grimke in "American Periodicals Series" leads to numerous articles written by her for the Liberator and other antislavery magazines. The "African American Studies Center" includes a biography of A. Grimke (it also includes a biography of Angelina Weld Grimke who was born much later) and so does the "American National Biography Online" (see Finding Primary Sources). The latter also includes references to published primary sources.
Finding Primary Sources
Here are some suggestions for locating primary sources in the Library's collection. Ask for advice and directions if you cannot find what you are looking for.
Books & Media
Find primary sources in the library's catalog with keywords such as correspondence, diaries, "personal narratives," speeches, documents and sources together with keywords that describe your topic. Consult the online Primary Source Research Guide for further details.
New York Times: 1851- (ProQuest Historical Newspapers)
Provides full-text access to the complete New York Times archive except for the most current three years.
Washington Post Historical: 1877- (ProQuest)
Contains the full text of all Washington Post and Washington Post/Times-Herald title variations, from 1877 until seventeen years ago.
America's Historical Newspapers (Readex)
Includes full text of selected early American newspapers published between 1690 and 1922. Villanova University has access to series 1 through 5 and 7.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century (Accessible Archives)
Provides access to the major 19th century African American newspapers including The Christian Recorder (1861-1902), Freedom's Journal (1827-1829), The North Star (1847-1851), and Frederick Douglass' Paper (1851-1863).
American Periodicals (ProQuest)
Provides access to the full text of American magazines and journals published from the colonial period to the early 20th century.
American Indian Newspapers (Adam Matthew Digital)
Sourced from the Sequoyah National Research Center (University of Arkansas at Little Rock) and the Newberry Library in Chicago, this newspaper archive covers nearly two hundred years of American Indian history in North America from 1828 to 2016 and offers American Indian perspectives on federal and tribal politics, self-representation, environmental activism, the American Indian Movement, tribal schools and colleges, and many other topics. It also features a series of topical essays.
Pennsylvania Gazette: 1728-1800 (Accessible Archives)
Full-text transcription and digitized image of the actual newspaper page as it originally appeared.
Virginia Gazette
The Virginia Gazette was published weekly in Williamsburg from 1736-1780. The news covered all Virginia and included some information for other colonies, Scotland, and England.
African American Studies Center (Oxford University Press)
Contains a selection of information sources ranging from the authoritative Encyclopedia of African American History to the African American National Biography project. Selected primary sources, maps, images, charts, and tables round out the collection.
Black Abolitionist Papers (ProQuest)
Features newspapers articles, manuscripts, letters, pamphlets, proceedings, and books written by African Americans actively involved in the movement to end slavery in the United States between 1830 and 1865.
Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans, 1639-1800 (Readex)
Features most of the books, pamphlets, and broadsides printed in America between 1639 and 1800. Titles were selected based on Charles Evans's American Bibliography.
Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819 (Readex)
Features most of the books, pamphlets, and broadsides published in America from 1801 through 1819. Contains many state papers and government reports. Titles were selected based on Ralph Shaw's and Richard H. Shoemaker's American Bibliography.
Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 (Gale)
Offers digital access to books, pamphlets, serials, and other sources published worldwide from 1500 to the early 20th century and documenting the history of the Americas. Titles were selected based on Joseph Sabin's Bibliotheca Americana.
American State Papers: 1789-1838 (Readex)
Contains the full text of legislative and executive documents of the first 25 U.S. Congresses. See the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1994 collection for later government documents.
American History Collection (Rotunda - University of Virginia Press)
Offers digital access to the authoritative print editions of the papers of major figures of the early republic ranging from John Adams to Woodrow Wilson. New content will be added as it becomes available.
Gerritsen Collection of Aletta H. Jacobs (ProQuest)
Features digital copies of books, pamphlets and periodicals related to women's history in general and the movement for women's rights in particular. Coverage is international and extends from the middle of the 15th century to the middle of the 20th century.
Books & Media
Find primary sources in the library's catalog with keywords such as correspondence, diaries, "personal narratives," speeches, documents and sources together with keywords that describe your topic. Consult the online Primary Source Research Guide for further details.
New York Times: 1851- (ProQuest Historical Newspapers)
Provides full-text access to the complete New York Times archive except for the most current three years.
Washington Post Historical: 1877- (ProQuest)
Contains the full text of all Washington Post and Washington Post/Times-Herald title variations, from 1877 until seventeen years ago.
America's Historical Newspapers (Readex)
Includes full text of selected early American newspapers published between 1690 and 1922. Villanova University has access to series 1 through 5 and 7.
African American Newspapers: The 19th Century (Accessible Archives)
Provides access to the major 19th century African American newspapers including The Christian Recorder (1861-1902), Freedom's Journal (1827-1829), The North Star (1847-1851), and Frederick Douglass' Paper (1851-1863).
American Periodicals (ProQuest)
Provides access to the full text of American magazines and journals published from the colonial period to the early 20th century.
American Indian Newspapers (Adam Matthew Digital)
Sourced from the Sequoyah National Research Center (University of Arkansas at Little Rock) and the Newberry Library in Chicago, this newspaper archive covers nearly two hundred years of American Indian history in North America from 1828 to 2016 and offers American Indian perspectives on federal and tribal politics, self-representation, environmental activism, the American Indian Movement, tribal schools and colleges, and many other topics. It also features a series of topical essays.
Pennsylvania Gazette: 1728-1800 (Accessible Archives)
Full-text transcription and digitized image of the actual newspaper page as it originally appeared.
Virginia Gazette
The Virginia Gazette was published weekly in Williamsburg from 1736-1780. The news covered all Virginia and included some information for other colonies, Scotland, and England.
African American Studies Center (Oxford University Press)
Contains a selection of information sources ranging from the authoritative Encyclopedia of African American History to the African American National Biography project. Selected primary sources, maps, images, charts, and tables round out the collection.
Black Abolitionist Papers (ProQuest)
Features newspapers articles, manuscripts, letters, pamphlets, proceedings, and books written by African Americans actively involved in the movement to end slavery in the United States between 1830 and 1865.
Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans, 1639-1800 (Readex)
Features most of the books, pamphlets, and broadsides printed in America between 1639 and 1800. Titles were selected based on Charles Evans's American Bibliography.
Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819 (Readex)
Features most of the books, pamphlets, and broadsides published in America from 1801 through 1819. Contains many state papers and government reports. Titles were selected based on Ralph Shaw's and Richard H. Shoemaker's American Bibliography.
Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 (Gale)
Offers digital access to books, pamphlets, serials, and other sources published worldwide from 1500 to the early 20th century and documenting the history of the Americas. Titles were selected based on Joseph Sabin's Bibliotheca Americana.
American State Papers: 1789-1838 (Readex)
Contains the full text of legislative and executive documents of the first 25 U.S. Congresses. See the U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1994 collection for later government documents.
American History Collection (Rotunda - University of Virginia Press)
Offers digital access to the authoritative print editions of the papers of major figures of the early republic ranging from John Adams to Woodrow Wilson. New content will be added as it becomes available.
Gerritsen Collection of Aletta H. Jacobs (ProQuest)
Features digital copies of books, pamphlets and periodicals related to women's history in general and the movement for women's rights in particular. Coverage is international and extends from the middle of the 15th century to the middle of the 20th century.
Example:
An author search in the library's catalog for Angelina Grimke leads to published primary sources which include her diary, letters and political writings. American National Biography Online has a short biography of Angelina Grimke.
Finding Secondary Sources
Falvey Library Catalog
The Library's catalog enables patrons to search & browse Falvey Library’s collection of books, journals, audio/video materials, electronic resources and more.
WorldCat (FirstSearch)
Presents a combined catalog of the catalogs of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. WorldCat highlights publications available at Villanova University. Other items can be requested via an inter-library loan request form.
America: History and Life (EBSCO)
Indexes the literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Includes citations for journal and magazine articles, book reviews, and dissertations. Abstracts of journal articles are included together with selected full-text. Indexing goes back to 1964.
JSTOR
Provides a full text archive of academic journals and books in the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics. The most recent three to five years of a journal are usually not included.
The Library's catalog enables patrons to search & browse Falvey Library’s collection of books, journals, audio/video materials, electronic resources and more.
WorldCat (FirstSearch)
Presents a combined catalog of the catalogs of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. WorldCat highlights publications available at Villanova University. Other items can be requested via an inter-library loan request form.
America: History and Life (EBSCO)
Indexes the literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Includes citations for journal and magazine articles, book reviews, and dissertations. Abstracts of journal articles are included together with selected full-text. Indexing goes back to 1964.
JSTOR
Provides a full text archive of academic journals and books in the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics. The most recent three to five years of a journal are usually not included.
Example:
A subject search in the library's catalog will discover books about Angelina Grimke in the library's collection.
A subject search in America: History & Life for Angelina Grimke will lead to scholarly journal articles about aspects of Grimke's life such as
Foletta, Marshall. "Angelina Grimké: Asceticism, Millenarianism, and Reform." New England Quarterly 80, no. 2 (June 2007): 179-217.
and critical reviews of her published diary such as
Jabour, Anya, and Jean R. Soderlund. "Walking by Faith: The Diary of Angelina Grimké, 1828-1835." Journal of the Early Republic 24, no. 4 (Winter 2004): 715-717.
Annotation Helpers
Place events in American history in context with the help of chronicles:
- The Timetables of History
Available in print only: D11.G78 1991 (1st floor, Falvey West) - This Day in American History
Available in print only: E174.5 .G76 2001 (3rd floor, Falvey) - An American Chronology
Available in print only: E169.1 .B758 2000 (3rd floor, Falvey) - The Peopling of America: A Timeline of Events That Helped Shape Our Nation
Available in print only: E184.A1K84 1994b (3rd floor, Falvey) - My Soul is a Witness: A Chronology of the Civil Rights Era in the United States
Available in print only: E185.61 .C697 2000 (3rd floor, Falvey)
Determine the origin, meaning and changing usage of words with the help of:
Find the sources of quotations used in your primary texts with the help of: