History 472 Research Guide

This guide is the starting point for identifying, locating, using, and evaluating  materials relating to Alabama History  in the Carmichael Library and on Internet.  If you need additional assistance, please Ask a Librarian or contact Kathleen Lowe, Reference and Instruction Librarian, at baronek@montevallo.edu or 665-6109 or Carey Heatherly, Serials Coordinator, at heatherlycw@montevallo.edu or 665-6102.

Finding Library Materials     
Library Catalog
The Library Catalog is often the best place to begin research. Search by author, title, subject, keyword, or a variety of other specialized searches.

Several examples of standard subject headings appropriate for use in the Main Catalog when searching for Alabama History materials are:

• Alabama -- History (Broad Topic)

• Alabama -- History -- 1819 (Narrow Topic)

• Alabama - - Biography 

• Alabama -- Church History  

• Alabama -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

• Southern States - - History

• Slavery - - United States 

To obtain an authoritative list of subject headings check the Library of Congress Subject Headings, near the Ask Here desk.

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Call Numbers
Carmichael Library uses the Library of Congress system to organize its materials.  Alabama History materials can be found in these call number ranges:

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Reference Materials
Reference materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and indexes.  They are good starting points in the research process.

Several examples of Alabama History reference materials available for use in the Carmichael Library include the following:

• Alabama History : An Annotated Bibliography 
  Ref. F326 .A43 1998

• Alabama Bibliography : Books, Articles, Theses, Dissertations
  Ref. F321 .B73 1996 

• Bibliography of Birmingham, Alabama 1872-1972
  Ref. F334 .B6 B57 1973 

• Bibliography of the County Histories of Alabama
  Ref. F326 .W37 1991 

• Reader's Guide to American History
  Ref. E 178 .R43 1997
  Offers a series of essays which describe and assess books written by professional historians.  Significant to the study of Alabama history is the historiography of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and George C. Wallace.

• The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature
  Ref. D 9 .A55 1995
  Offers a selection and listing with appropriate commentary of the finest and most useful book articles and articles available in historical scholarship.  

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Print Indexes
Indexes are used to identify published articles in specific journals.  Most of the indexes in the Carmichael Library are electronic and are available from the Databases page.  However, many electronic resources often only cover the latest 20 years.  

• New York Times Index  
  1856 - present 

• Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature 
  1899 - present

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Journals and Periodicals
Journals and periodicals are published at regular intervals in print and electronically.

Print periodicals on the topic of Alabama History available in the Carmichael Library include the following:

• Alabama Review
  Library has v. 1- v. 58 (1949 - 2005) 
  Table of Contents
  The Library database American History and Life provides citations to articles in the Alabama Review

• Alabama Historical Quarterly
  Library has v.1 - v. 44 (1930 - 1982)
  Table of Contents

• Alabama Heritage
  Library has v. 1- v. 71 (1986 - 2005) 
  Table of Contents  

• Gulf Coast Historical Review
  No copies available in the Library
  Gulf South Historical Review is indexed and abstracted in America: History and Life
  Subject Index 

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Electronic Resources
Databases

Electronic access to journal articles is available from the Databases page.  Most databases can be searched using author, title or subject in either basic or advanced search formats. The results of a search will include either a citation, a citation and abstract, or a citation, abstract and full text of the article depending on the database searched.

Listed below are databases you could use to locate information about Alabama History.  You can access these, and other databases, from the Databases by name page or the Databases by subject page.

• America:  History and Life Index

• Historical Abstracts Index

• Annals of American History

• Reference Center 

• World Cat  Index and Abstracts   
  Provides access to the citations for millions of books and other materials in our library and libraries around the world.  Search in this database if the materials you are looking for are not available in this Library and see Interlibrary Loan.

Additional information about specific databases is available at each database site. 

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Internet Links
Several recognized Alabama History sites are listed below:

• Alabama Newspapers on Microfilm 

• The Alabama Department of Archives and History

• American Slave Narratives
  Text of narratives with former slaves compiled by the Works Progress Administration 1936-1938

• The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
   

• Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion

• Alabama Department of Archives & History ; African American Records From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Era: Records About the African American Experience in Alabama

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Additional Resources
Associations and Societies
Associations provide a forum for the exchange of ideas within a profession.  Listed below are the names of a few <Subject> associations.

• Alabama Historical Association  

• Southern Historical Association 

• Society of Alabama Archivists  

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Additional Research Guides
Additional Research Guides worth reviewing include the following:

• History Research Guide 
  University of Montevallo 

• A Guide to Historical Research in Mobile  

• A Guide to African-American History Research Sources at the University of South Alabama Archives

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Archives/Special Collections
Materials of historical significance are maintained in Archives.

• ITEM 

• ITEM 

• ITEM 

• ITEM 

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Government Resources
The U.S. Government and the State of Alabama publish a large amount of data and resources both electronically and in print.  Government resources specific to <Subject> are listed below:

• Alabama Constitution of 1901  

• ITEM 

• ITEM 

• ITEM 

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