Research Sources for the Cold War
Research Sources for The Cold War : History 288
March 2007
Library Catalogs
Bowdoin College Library Catalog
Books, videos, microfilm, web sites, etc. owned or subscribed to here at Bowdoin.
MaineCat
Search the combined holdings of most Maine Libraries; users make ILL requests online; materials arrive from Colby and Bates in two days.
NExpress
Locate books and articles within the combined collections of Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Williams, Northeastern and Wellesley; users make ILL requests online.
WorldCat
A union catalog for book/monograph holdings for academic libraries nationwide.
Reference Books
The 1960s : an annotated bibliography of social and political movements in the United States
Main Ref HN59 .J28 1992
Encyclopedia of American social history
Main Ref HN57 .E58 1993
Encyclopedia of the United States in the twentieth century
Main Ref E740.7 .E53 1996
The Reader's companion to American history
Main Ref E174 .R43 1991
Indexes for Journal Articles
Some of these databases contain the full text of the journal articles they index. Others provide citation only. Use either the “Check Availability” link in the database or the “Find Journals” function in the Library Catalog to determine journal availability at Bowdoin.
America History and Life
LexisNexis Academic (law cases)
LexisNexis Congressional
PAIS 1915-1972 (Public Affairs Information Service)
PAIS 1972-present
Reader’s Guide Retrospective
Facts on File
Primary Sources
Bowdoin College Library holds numerous primary sources for the study of American history in print, microform and electronic formats. For a definition of primary and secondary sources and how to find them, please see the CBB Guide to Primary and Secondary Sources . For government records please see the section on Government Documents in this guide.
Newspapers:
New York Times (on Microfilm)
New York Times Archive online
Washington Post Archive online
Wall Street Journal archive online
Government Documents:
Declassified Documents
Foreign Relations of the United States (U.S. Dept of State, not complete)
Foreign Relations of the United States (U.S. Dept of State, electronic archive of volumes issued before 2001, not complete)
Foreign Relations of the United States, 1907-1972
Govt Doc S1.1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
Govt Ref AE2.114
Govt Doc AE2.114
House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC) Hearings
Govt Doc Y4. Un1/2:
Congressional Record (Congressional Debates)
Govt Doc X1.1/A
Microfilm Sets:
CORE papers 1941-1969
Main Micro Film 2694-2742
Cuba Files at the State Department
Main Micro Film 2620-2644
Johnson Administration Civil Rights Files 1963-1969
Main Micro Film 2490-2535
Kennedy Administration Civil Rights Files 1961-1963
Main Micro Film 2601-2619
Martin Luther King, Jr. FBI Files
Main Micro Film 3092
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Papers 1959-1972
Main Micro Film 2301-2373
Web Sites:
Documents Relating to American Foreign Policy:
The Cold War.
Cold War documents from the National Security Archive
Tips for Efficient Research
1. Look for subject headings or descriptors in the individual records within databases or library catalogs. Use them to expand your search or make it more specific.
2. When you find a relevant book, browse nearby shelves for others on the same topic; or, electronically expand your search in the catalog.
3. Gather a few articles and books and read them before doing more research to understand your topic and to focus effectively.
4. As you read, check bibliographies and footnotes for more sources.
5. For a refresher on primary sources, check the CBB guide at http://library.bowdoin.edu/1st/primary.shtml
6. Use interlibrary loan services.
7. Use library databases first in preference over general internet searches.
8. When you do use web sites, evaluate them carefully for accuracy, timeliness and authority. When was it last updated? Who is responsible for the content? Does the sponsoring organization have a bias or agenda?
10. Consult your department’s reference librarian, Ginny Hopcroft, at ghopcrof@bowdoin.edu or X3298. Or the librarians at the reference desk.
