| History Resources
Introduction
What is history? Look at this web site definition:
WWW Webster Dictionary: http://www.m-w.com
History is vintage journalism-or if you like, "Information [news] + time + filtering = History." As you become familiar with history resources, you will find that they can be divided into three categories:
Primary Sources are materials written by participants of or eyewitnesses to the event in question. Primary Source material is not common in the public library. Letters, journals, memoirs and newspapers and periodicals are examples of primary source material. Newspapers pose special problems: How much of the news is data? How much is editorial? What is the editors’ bias or agenda? Is it news or is it propaganda? Is the writer/editor selling something? In examining primary source material, the eyewitness’ reliability must be determined. Sometimes more than one person observes an event and each eyewitness has a different interpretation. Other questions to ask: Who are the observers? What is their background? "World View" experience? Are they "trained" observers? How close was the observer to the event? And finally, does the observer have any special relationship with the event?
The next category, Secondary Sources, is one step removed from the eyewitness level. Secondary sources are materials written by historians covering specific events, times and/or places and are generally a compilation of primary sources. Many of the best histories are secondary. These books comprise the bulk of the history collection you’ll find in your collection. A caveat: Know that writers of secondary sources are still subject to bias, emphasis, perception, interpretation and supposition. Better historians attempt to be neutral, allowing the facts to speak for themselves.
Tertiary Sources-encyclopedias, dictionaries, some textbooks, one-volume reference sources- comprise the third category. These sources’ strength is that they give good general information on almost any time and place in history, thereby, generally providing enough information for students to complete their assignments.
Using the Internet
The Internet and electronic databases have both expanded the resources available to public libraries. It is still important, especially with Internet sites, to verify the reliability of the source. How do you a site’s reliability?
- Look at the address. Is it a dot com? org? edu? Is there a tilde (~)? If so, then this is a personal homepage and the organization sponsoring the site is not responsible for the content. The web author may or may not be an expert and the sources used to develop the content may also be inferior.
- Does the author of the site provide identifying, biographical data, an email address and other contact information?
- Is the information on the site documented? Is there a bibliography? You and your customer must apply your judgment and knowledge to the content. Find another site and or print item to compare and verify the information.
- Does the author have an agenda? An "ax to grind?"
- When was the site last modified? Hint: If the information is not readily available, click on VIEW Document Info to find the date. A recent date is a good sign.
Community History
The Library may be the ONLY source for community history. Does your system and branch maintain "local history" collections? The following guidelines can help you develop and or evaluate your collection:
- Try to keep a selective local newspaper/article file. Save materials relating to historic buildings, houses, roadways, major events, important events, people, etc. If you find the information interesting, chances are other people will, too.
- Maintain an open-door policy in relation to accepting old newspaper articles, magazine articles, photographs, etc. Offer to reproduce the originals if the owner wishes to keep to them.
- Network with local experts, find those folks who have lived I the community for many decades and gently interview them.
- Local churches and associations are wonderful places to begin doing outreach; the response can be magnificent.
- Store the materials in a fashion so that others can use your files. Consider putting the material on a local history web site.
Learning Goals
This subject resource module will acquaint you with history print and electronic resources in your local branch/system. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Describe the organization, features and usefulness of both print and electronic resources
- Identify and suggest the kinds of questions the resource/s can answer
Task
Examine the resources (books, databases, web sites, etc.) for this module. The resources may include print, electronic, audio, video and expert human resources. Also, consider and include resources for a variety of ages - adult, young adult, children - and needs. Enter a minimum of 3 resources for this subject using the Subject Resource form.
Process
- Review the strategies (those you identified in the Finding Information module) for examining a resource/reference tool. Add to the list any additional strategies you’ve identified.
- Choose resources that are "at your fingertips" - accessible to you.
- Examine the resources using the strategies for examining a resource. Conduct an "on-the-fly" exam of the resources and then complete a second, more in-depth review. As you look the resource, consider its candidacy for your core collection.
- Complete an electronic Subject Resource Form for each resource you identify and examine. Include a practice question /answer and be sure to cite the page number or specify the exact URL (copy/paste the URL on the form).
- Reflect on your learning. Share/discuss with your supervisor and post your thoughts and insights in your electronic journal. Consider:
- How have these modules assisted you in answering customers' questions;
- New strategies for finding information/examining materials you have developed;
- Your thoughts about your knowledge base of materials?
- Your ability to find the answers.
Questions
Contact me if you have any questions and need anything clarified. The purpose of these modules is to start you on the path of developing your knowledge base of your library’s collection and other resources you can use to answer customer’s questions. Enjoy the journey!
Email: coordinator@latimd.org
Print Resources
| This is only a representative sampling of history resources. Remember that history does not include Biography, Atlases and Chronicles—but is supplemented by these materials. |
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| BIBLICAL CONCORDANCE (any good one will do: RSV, Strong’s, NIV, etc.) The Old Testament is particularly useful for finding historically accurate information on Ancient Israel, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia but relatively weak on the Greeks and Romans. |
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| Chronicle of the World, Chronicle of the 20TH Century, etc |
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| This Fabulous Century. Time-Life, multi-volume. (Or something similar). |
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| Smithsonian Timelines of the Ancient World. Chris Scarre |
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| Oxford Classical Dictionary. Hornblower and Spawforth |
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| Companion to British History. (Columbia, Oxford, Cambridge, etc.) |
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| Africa on File. 2 v. Facts on File |
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| Native America: Portraits of the Peoples. Duane Champagne and Dennis Banks |
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| Chronicle of America. |
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| Documents of American History. 2 v. |
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| Power of Words: Documents of American History. 2 v. (to 1993) |
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| Complete Book of US Presidents or Kane's Facts About the Presidents. |
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| Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. 2 v. |
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| African American Encyclopedia. (Either Macmillan or Marshall-Cavendish, e.g.) |
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| A Guide to Civil War Sites in Maryland. Susan C.Soderberg |
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| Latin America on File. Facts on File. |
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| For Children: "Eyewitness Books," a series published by Alfred A. Knopf. This series includes color photographs of actual artifacts, implements, art, crafts and clothing of the cultures covered in the series. |
Electronic Resources
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