Need Help?
Finding Books
There are two main places to start your search for books. Each has a different specialty and scope.
- URI Libraries SearchLocate books, videos, online resources and more available through the URI Libraries.
- HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
- What’s included? HathiTrust is a digital library of more than 17.4 million volumes, digitized from member library collections. Authenticated users may download full-book PDF files of all Public Domain and Creative Commons-licensed volumes. All volumes, including copyrighted works, are searchable. Details at: this link..
- What else should I know? URI faculty, staff, and students can log in to HathiTrust to access enhanced features. To log in, select "University of Rhode Island" from the list of institutions and enter your URI SSO (Single Sign-On) Credentials. Include @uri.edu in your username.
- What’s included? HathiTrust is a digital library of more than 17.4 million volumes, digitized from member library collections. Authenticated users may download full-book PDF files of all Public Domain and Creative Commons-licensed volumes. All volumes, including copyrighted works, are searchable. Details at: this link..
- WorldCat.org This link opens in a new windowFreely available version of WorldCat, listing books and other materials in member libraries worldwide. Updated daily.
For a broader but less precise search, try the tools below.
- Google BooksOffers a somewhat random search of books scattered across the country. Some full text searching of books, and some full text viewing of out-of-copyright materials. You may be able to request books viewed via Interlibrary Loan.
- Archive.orgMuch like Google Books, this contains scans of a variety of books held in libraries internationally.
Finding More Books
Search the catalog for likely terms and look closely at your results. If you find something that looks interesting, and you want to see similar results, click on the LC Subject – this will take you to other books on the same topic.
Finding Articles
There are several databases that can help you locate articles on History-related topics. For more information on these and other applicable databases, please stop by the Info & Research Help Desk.
History-related databases are listed under URI Library > Articles & Databases > Arts & Humanities, but it is a good idea to peruse some of the other subject areas as they may have databases that cover your topic.
You can get to a complete list of databases from: URI Library > Articles & Databases.
- America: History and Life with Full Text (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
- What’s included? Citations to and the full text of hundreds of full-text history journals about the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Includes features such as the ability to search by time period.
- What dates are covered? 1955 to the present
- JSTOR This link opens in a new window
- What’s included? Archival journal collections in many disciplines, scholarly e-books, images, and primary source materials from institutions worldwide.
- What else should I know? Many journals in JSTOR have an embargo (called the "Moving Wall") on their most recent articles, generally ranging from 3-5 years. Other databases will provide more current results.
Older Articles
- C.R.I.S. : the combined retrospective index set to journals in history, 1838-1974Call Number: URI Reference Z6205 C18ISBN: 0840801815
The databases above might not go back as far as you'd like. You may need to consult the print sources below.
- Combined retrospective index set to journals in political science, 1886-1974Call Number: URI Reference Z7163 C65ISBN: 0840801866