North Seattle Community College North Seattle Community College
Library & Media Services

Research Guide for CS "Hope in the Dark": The Harlem Renaissance

August Savage

Prepared by Elinor Appel
NSCC Librarian (contact info).

To get help:

Email me, ask an online librarian, or come to the library reference desk and chat with a librarian.

NSCC Library (this will open in a new window)

My goals for you today:

  • You will learn about and practice using different types of library resources..
  • You will learn about and experiment with different ways of approaching a topic using a variety of search terms.
  • You will begin to think about collecting a variety of sources, and evaluating what you find.

Image source: "Augusta Savage, Painting." Reproduced in History Resource Center. Gale Group. All rights reserved.

Websites

Looking critically @ Web sites: Is this an appropriate resource for your research? Why or why not? Consider who created the content, and why:

  • Always check your online source for Authority, Bias, Currency & Documentation.
    • Authority: who created the content? How do you know the author is a good resource?
    • Bias: what is the bias, mission, or standpoint of the resource? Is its bias clear?
    • Currency: when was the page last updated? Is the information still relevant?
    • Documentation: does the web resource provide link to other sources to support or develop the information it provides?
  • Good rule of thumb: a reliable, college-level source is created by a person or institution with knowledge about the topic (authority), is clear about its purpose, is up to date, and provides documentation.

Web-search tips

  • Limit your search by domain, for instance gov or edu to find primary sources (art, songs, photos) and reputable information.
  • Add terms like "audio" or "interview" to your search and see what you find.
  • Use sites like Wikimedia Commons or the Internet Archive for copyright-free media.

Selected websites

  • A few examples of websites related to the Harlem Renaissance on my delicious account.
  • Your turn. Did you find a good resource? Submit it here and I'll add it to the list of delicious examples above.

Searching Library Databases

To access these databases from off campus, log in with your Student ID Number and last name.

Reference databases - search these databases for art, encylopedia articles, and more

  • Artstor - search here for images from the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Gale Virtual Reference Library - includes full-text articles from the Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2006
  • History Resource Center - primary (original documents, photos, etc.) and secondary (articles about events and people) sources
  • Literature Resource Center - articles by and about American writers; includes book reviews (popular) and literary criticism (scholarly)

Periodical databases - search these databases for newspaper, magazine, and journal articles

Most periodical databases look and act the same when you search them.  Be sure you find and select the full-text box. (Not necessary in JSTOR.) Keep your first searches simple as you begin:

PQ searchs


Databases are arranged so that you can mix and match your search terms to get the best results. Use:
  • AND to combine terms (narrows your search to fewer results): Augusta Savage AND Jacob Lawrence
  • OR to add terms (adds to your search to increase your results): art or painting

Good periodical databases for your research:

  • Academic Search Complete - a general database with a range of articles
  • eLibrary Academic - this database includes images, transcripts, and online books
  • JSTOR - older articles in the Humanities, all full text
  • ProQuest - another general database
  • Proquest's New York Times Historical Archives - NYT articles from 1851 - 1999

Finding Books in the Library

Use books for both background information (reference books) or in-depth information (circulating collection).

Selected reference books for your research:

  • African American National Dictionary , 8 vols. [Ref E 185.96.A4466 2008]
  • Black Women in America , 3 vols. [Ref E185.86.B542 2005]
  • Dictionary of Art , 34 vols. [Ref N31.D5 1996]
  • Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History , 5 vols. [Ref E 185.E54 1996] - newer edition in Gale's Reference Database
  • Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance, 1 vol. [Ref PS 153.N5A24 2003]
  • New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed., 3 vols. [ML102.J3N48 2001]
  • Oxford Companion to African American Literature, 1 vol. [PS153.N5O96 1997] - newer edition is online; search for this in the catalog

Refer to Finding Books for tips on searching the catalog using keywords and subjects. Begin with a Keyword search:

 

Then find a title that looks good:


This copy is available and at North. (Find a book that's not at North? Request it to be sent here via the "request item" link to the right of the open record.)

Click on the title to open the record. Then locate the subjects in the record . . .

These subject links will lead to more on the same topic. Click on the subject headings to get a list of related materials. Locate the materials by library and call number. Use your Student ID card to check them out.

"The Harlem Renaissance -Treasures of the New York Public Library," 2009. The NewYork Public Library.YouTube.