The Library has a large collection of reference works, most of them in electronic format, but some classics are still only available in print. Use the custom search box below to search across most of the Library's electronic encyclopedias, handbooks, and companions.




Bloomsbury History: Theory & Method
Presents a wide and growing selection of essays on theory, methods and historiography including the four-volume survey Historiography: Critical Readings edited by Q. Edward Wang.

Cambridge Companions Online (Cambridge University Press)
Scholarly introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.

Cambridge Histories Online (Cambridge University Press)
Search across all the Cambridge Histories or browse individual volumes.

Gale eBooks
A large collection of academic encyclopedias and dictionaries by various publishers.

Oxford Bibliographies (Oxford University Press)  Tutorial
Presents peer-reviewed, annotated bibliographies and expert commentary on current scholarship in selected disciplines.

Oxford Handbooks Online (Oxford University Press)
Provides digital access in selected disciplines. Each handbook introduces and surveys the state of scholarship in a field of study through review articles written by leading subject specialists. Articles review key issues and debates and set the agenda for new research. Villanova University does not have access to the complete collection. Access print handbooks through the Library's print collection and/or interlibrary loan services.

Oxford Research Encyclopedias (Oxford University Press)
Offers peer-reviewed topical introductions and literature reviews written by well-regarded authorities. Available subjects include African history, American history, Asian history, and Latin American history. New topics are regularly added.

Wiley Online Library
Provides full text access to Wiley publications covering life, health, and physical sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.