The following is a library guide to find specific information about the geography of Latin America. The floor references are specific to Milner Library at Illinois State University and the call numbers provided are using the Library of Congress referencing system.
This listing is not copyrighted and may be reproduced or modified
LITERATURE SEARCH TECHNIQUES
1. Define the topic. Understand what you are researching. Use dictionaries, encyclopedias,
handbooks, textbooks, etc.
(a) Topic must be narrowed down to something manageable.
(b) Definition should include:
(i) Decision on time period to be covered, e.g. 1970 onwards
(ii) Type of materials to be included, e.g. books, journal articles, audio-visuals
(iii) How much material should be included, i.e. complete list,
select 30 articles, etc.
2. Make a list of words and phrases that would define the topic. Use these words as starting
points in a search through the library catalogues. The Library of Congress Subject
Headings will help you translate your words into standard catalogue terms.
3. Use published bibliographies (discussed below) to locate a variety of books, journal
articles, etc. related to your topic.
4. Has the subject been treated in periodicals? Using the list of search words, check the
relevant periodical indexes and abstracts. For a completely up-to-date search, remember
the time lapse between the last index published and the time of your search and browse
through the most likely recent periodicals.
5. Are there any other sources of information available:
(a) other libraries? use Library Computer System (LCS).
(b) professional associations, research organizations? use directories to locate them.
(c) personal contacts including professors in related fields.
Ask the library staff if you are having trouble finding information. There are specialist librarians for each area of the library.
.
THE LIBRARY CATALOGUES: The university library has several catalogues, which assist you to locate book and non-book material held by the library.
1. Author/Title, if you know the author, title or series.
2. Subject, for relevant material on a given subject, when specific authors or titles are
not known. This catalogue includes books, serials and non-book material, under
such headings as:
CITIES AND TOWNS - Planning - Latin America
GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
LATIN AMERICA - Bibliography
LATIN AMERICA - Description and travel
LATIN AMERICA - Economic conditions
UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS
3. Serials, lists all serials (journals, newspapers, annual reports, etc.) held in the
library, with details of which issues the library holds.
GUIDES TO REFERENCE BOOKS: will provide an overall view of reference materials in a wide variety of subject fields. Two such bibliographies are:
Walford, A.J. A guide to reference material. London, 1966 (1973)
Winchell, C.M. A guide to reference books. Chicago, 1967.
** first supplement 1865-66
** second supplement 1967-68
** third supplement 1969-70
For a more detailed list of reference material in particular subjects, use GUIDES TO THE SUBJECT LITERATURE such as:
Minto, C.S. How to find out in geography; a guide to current books in English.
Oxford, 1966.
which may be found in the subject catalogues under the headings:
GEOGRAPHY - Bibliography
DICTIONARIES AND ENCYCLOPEDIAS: provide background information for your topic, and are found via the subject catalogue headings:
GEOGRAPHY - Dictionaries
GEOGRAPHY - Dictionaries and encyclopedias
GEOGRAPHY - Terminology
Monkhouse - Francis John. A dictionary of geography. London, 1970.
World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, 1970.
Larousse Encyclopedia of World Geography. London, 1964.
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. New York, 1968.
REFERENCES:
Cambridge History of Latin America. 1984. 6 vols. F1410.C1834 1984 Floor 3 - stacks
Caribbean and Central America Databook. 1990. REF D 2155 .X363 1990 Floor 4
Caribbean Basin Databook. REF F2155.C363011992
Central American Fact Book. REF F1439.5B371986
Economic Survey of Latin American and the Caribbean. REF HC161.P2901
Encyclopedia of Latin America. REF F1406.E52
Handbook of Latin America Studies. REF Z1605.H23v.51 and REF Z1605.H23v.52
Latin America. 1994. REF F1408.D251994
Latin America and Caribbean Contemporary Record. REF F1401.L33v.7 1987/88
Latin American Global Studies. REF F1401.G536th
Latin America and the Caribbean. REF Z1601.L32251992
Latin American Politics: A Historical Bibliography. REF Z1609.P64L391984
Reference Material on Latin America in English: The Humanities.
REF A1601.W75 Floor 6
South America, Central America, Caribbean. 1993. REF F1406.5S684th1993
Statistical Abstract of Latin America. REF HA 935 .S8 Floor 4
Latest edition=1989. 1993
Statistical Yearbook for Latin America. REF HA 751 .A58 Floor 4
Latest edition=1988. 1993
Who is Who in Government and Politics in Latin America. 1984. REF F1407.W46
1984 Floor 4
Who is Who in Latin America. REF F1407.W461984
DICTIONARIES AND YEARBOOKS:
Dictionary of Geography. REF G63.C5621990
Dictionary of Geography. REF G63.M391992
Dictionary of Latin American and Caribbean Biography. 1971. REF F1407.D5
1971 Floor 4
Political Risk Yearbook-North and Central America. REF FL1416.P6501
Political Risk Yearbook-South America. REF JL1866.P6501
Statistical Yearbook for Latin America and Caribbean. REF HA751.A581992
BIBLIOGRAPHIES: are lists of books, films, journal articles, etc. relevant to a subject or person, and may be as wide or as narrow as the compiler deems necessary. Bibliographies may be complete books, which are found under subject catalogue headings such as:
CARTOGRAPHY - Bibliography
CATALOGUES, Subject
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - Bibliography
LATIN AMERICA - Bibliography
LATIN AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS - Bibliography
MAPS - Bibliography
Bibliographies are more often parts of books or journal articles, and are located by using either: BIBLIOGRAPHIC INDEX, or periodical indexes.
Bayitch, A.A.
Latin America and the Caribbean: a bibliography of works in English. 1967.
REF Z1601 .B35 Floor 4
A Bibliography of Latin American Bibliographies. 1968.
Supplement 1 - 1971
Supplement 2 - 1979
Supplement 3 - 1982
Supplement 4 - 1987
BIBLIOGRAPHIE CARTOGRAPHIQUE INTERNATIONALE
Delorme, Robert
Latin America: social science information sources. 1981.
Z7165 .L3 D44 Floor 4
Griffin, Charles C., ed.
Latin America: a guide to the historical literature. 1971.
REF Z1601 .G68 Floor 4
Handbook of Latin American Studies. Z 1605 .H23 Floor 4
Bibliography covering social sciences or humanities in alternate years.
Harris, Chauncy Dennison. International list of geographical serials. 2nd rev. ed.
Chicago, 1971.
INTERNATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
Latin America, 1979-1983: a social science bibliography. 1984.
REF Z7165 .L3 D439 1984 Floor 4
Latin America, 1983-1987: a social science bibliography. 1988.
REF HC 125 .D42 1988 Floor 4
Latin American Politics: a historical bibliography. 1984.
REF Z1609 P.64 L39 1984 Floor 4
OI COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL. International development and the human
environment. New York. 1974.
POPULATION INDEX
United States. Library of Congress. Books: subjects; a cumulative list of works
represented by Library of Congress printed cards.
Woods, Richard D.
Reference Materials on Latin America in English: the humanities. 1980.
REF Z1601 .W75 Floor 4
PERIODICAL INDEX OR ABSTRACTING JOURNAL: is a single subject index to a large number of journals, it is invaluable because the library catalogue lists cover only journal articles, although particular ones may include reference to books, conferences, seminars, government reports, and films.
A few definitions:
a citation (or reference) consists of author, title of article, title of journal, publishing date and page numbers.
an indexing journal list citations either alphabetically or in subject order.
an abstracting journal adds a short resume of the article, book, etc., to each citation listed.
Multi-disciplinary indexes may be located via the subject catalogue headings:
PERIODICALS - Indexes
PUBLIC AFFAIRS INFORMATION SERVICE (PAIS)
Subject-specific indexes are found under such headings as:
ANTHROGEOGRAPHY - Abstracts
BUSINESS PERIODICALS INDEX
EDUCATION INDEX
ENVIRONMENTAL ABSTRACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL INDEX
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY - Indexes
ENVIRONMENTAL PERIODICALS BIBLIOGRAPHY
GEO ABSTRACTS
GEOGRAPHY, Economic - Abstracts
REGIONAL PLANNING - Abstracts
SOCIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS
SOCIAL SCIENCES - Indexes
SOCIAL SCIENCES CITATION INDEX
PERIODICALS/JOURNALS:
Americas.
F1401 .A57 GCL Floor 2 (English edition) Floor 4 (Spanish edition)
The Americas: a quarterly review of Inter-American Cultural History.
E11 .A4
Aztlan: International Journal of Chicano Studies Research.
F1408 .C672
Contents of Periodicals on Latin America.
F1408 .C672
HAHR: The Hispanic American Historical Review.
F1401 .H6601
HAPI: Hispanic American Periodicals Index (1975-1989)
Ref. Z6953.8 .H36 Floor 4
Iberoamericana.
F1408.3 .I24
Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs.
F1401 .J687
Journal of Latin American Studies.
F1401 .J69
LADOC (Latin American Documentation)
F1401 .L28
Latin American Perspectives: a journal on capitalism and socialism.
F1401 .L335
Latin American Research Review.
F1401 .L345
North American Congress on Latin America. Report on the Americas.
F1401 .N202
Revista de Historica de America.
F1401 .R44
Third World Quarterly
HC59.7.T458
INDEXES AND ABSTRACTS:
ABCPOLSCI A Bibliography of Contents: political science and government
Index table 2
Academic Index INFO-TRAC terminals. Floor 2
America: history & life
Business Periodical Index. Index table 8. IBIS-CD-ROM
Current Contents 1993-,IBIS,use BEHA for Social and Behavioral Sciences
(use CBIB to search all 7 databases at one time)
Dissertation Abstracts (First Search, Beyond)
ERIC (on IBIS) or on CD-ROM
Expanded Academic Index (abstracts-recent years only) Floor 2 terminals
Expanded Academic Index ASAP (full text-recent year only) Floor 2 terminals
Geographical abstracts: Human geography. Index table 9
Geographical abstracts: Physical geography. Index table 9.
HAPI (Hispanic American Periodicals Index) REF Z6953.8.H361993
Historical abstracts: part B twentieth century abstracts. Index table 2
InfoTrac Expanded Academic Index ASAP (full text-recent year only): c, f, g
InfoTrac Expanded Academic Index (abstracts-recent years only): a, b, c
International Political Science Abstracts
Medline (First Search, Basics) (Medical Subject Headings Book on Floor 5 near terminals)
PAIS (Public Affairs Information Sources) Bulletin - 1990. Index table 2
PAIS (Public Affairs Information Sources) International 1991 - Index table 2
Population Index Z7164.D3P83 (current periodical section for recent)
Sage Family Studies Index Area F15
Social Sciences Abstracts
Social Sciences Index. Index table 2. IBIS
Statistical Abstracts of Latin America. REF HA935.S8v30pt1. 1993. also pt. 2
LIBRARY COMPUTER SYSTEM (LCS): is a powerful tool to find items in Milner Library and in 27 other academic libraries in Illinois. LCS gives you access to over 13 million bound books and periodicals.
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS: generally comprise congressional papers and debates, official and semi-official reports, directories, information booklets and statistics. Many libraries have their own guide to government publications, in addition to such published aids as:
Jackson, Ellen Pauline. Subject guide to major United States, Government publications.
Chicago, 1968.
Boyd, Anne Morris. United States government publications. 3rd rev. ed.
New York, 1994.
OHara, Frederic J. Reader in government documents. Washington, 1973.
STATISTICAL INFORMATION: is available from international, national and local organizations, usually in serial form. Statistical sources are identified in guides to reference material (e.g. Walford or Winchell) or in guides to locating statistical information, e.g.
Ball, Joyce. Foreign statistical documents. Stanford, CA, 1967.
Burlington, Gillian A. How to find out about statistics. Oxford, 1972.
Wasserman, Paul and others. Statistical sources. 3rd. ed. Michigan, 1971.
which may be located via the subject catalogue heading:
STATISTICS - Bibliography
STATISTICAL TABLES:
Showers, Victor. The world in figures. New York, 1973.
STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF LATIN AMERICA
which may be located via the subject catalogue headings:
CITIES AND TOWNS - Statistics
GEOGRAPHY - Tables, etc.
LATIN AMERICA - Statistics
Milner Online Guide
1. FIRSTSEARCH
Index FirstSearch Subject User Level
ABI/Inform Basics Business and Management topics Undergrad, Grad
Agricola Basics Agriculture, Nutrition Undergrad, Grad, Faculty
Article First Basics Index for selected journals Undergrad
CINAHL Beyond Nursing, Allied Health Undergrad, Grad, Faculty
Diss Beyond Dissertations Grad, Faculty
EconLit Beyond Economic Literature Undergrad, Grad
EducationAbs Basics Education Undergrad, Grad
Environment Beyond Pollution, Conservation Advanced Undergrad,
Grad, Faculty
Geobase Beyond Geography, Geology Undergrad, Grad
GeoRef Beyond Geology Undergrad, Grad, Faculty
GPO Basics U.S. government publications Undergrad, Grad
INSPEC Beyond Physics, Computing, Electronics Advanced Undergrad,
Grad, Faculty
Medline Basics Medicine, Biochemistry Advanced Undergrad,
Grad, Faculty
MicrocompAbs Beyond Computing Undergrad, Grad, Faculty
NewsAbs Beyond Newspaper Abstracts Undergrad
PAIS Decade Beyond Public Affairs International Undergrad, Grad
PerAbs Basics Periodical Abstracts for Undergrad
selected journals
SocioAbs Beyond Sociology Abstract Undergrad, Grad
Worldcat Basics Books at libraries nationwide Undergrad, Grad, Faculty
2. IBIS / OVID
Index Subject User Level
Current Contents Life Sciences, Physical Sciences Grad, Faculty
ERIC Education Undergrad
PsycInfo Psychological Abstracts Undergrad
Wilson Applied Science Chemistry, Computing, Electronics Undergrad
& Technology Index Environment, Technology
Wilson Art Index Agriculture, Biology, Undergrad
Environment, Horticulture
Wilson Business Business and management Undergrad
Periodical Index
Wilson General All Science topics Undergrad
Science Index
3. INFOTRAC
Index Subject User Level
Computer Database Computing Undergrad
Expanded Academic Index All Subjects, including Science Undergrad
4. CD-ROMs
Index Subject User Level
Marcive Government Publications FL 2 Undergrad, Grad
National Trade Data Bank World Trade Data FL 2 Undergrad, Grad
U.S. Government Periodicals Government relations FL 2 Undergrad, Grad
5. WORLD WIDE WEB
Name Subject URL User Level
GovBot Web page search from http://cobar.cs.umass. Undergrad, Grad
U.S. government sites edu/ciirdemo/Govbot/
The Internet Subject specific access http://www.isleuth.com/ Undergrad, Grad
Sleuth to 1500 databases
Search.com Subject specific search http://www.search.com/ Undergrad, Grad
of 250 search engines
UnCover All Subjects, especially http://uncweb.carl.org/ Undergrad, Grad,
Faculty
6. MILNER LIBRARY HOME PAGE
Name Subject URL User Level
Resources See internet sites for http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu Undergrad, Grad
by Subject specific subject
Resources News Media http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu Undergrad, Grad
by Type
Resources Online newspapers http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu Undergrad, Grad
by Type directory (international)
Return to Literature Search Home Page