A Few Useful Reference Books
Reference books are useful for identifying people, places, events, dates, etc. Many articles in reference books include a bibliography of recommended sources. This is a a very small sample of the reference books that may be useful.
Collins Atlas of Military History by Call Number: REF U27 .C64 2006ISBN: 0060849975Publication Date: 2006-05-23
Encyclopedia of American Military History by Call Number: REF E 181 .E63 2003 v.1-3ISBN: 0816043558Publication Date: 2003-03-01
Encyclopedia of Military Technology and Innovation by Call Number: REF U 24 .B85 2004ISBN: 1573565571Publication Date: 2004-06-30
International Encyclopedia of Military History by Call Number: REF D 25 .A2 I58 2006 v.1-2ISBN: 0415936616Publication Date: 2006-06-02
Searching for E-Books
The library provides access to more than 55,000 books from a variety of sources. For information about ebooks, see the online guide to Ebooks.
Start Here To Search for Books
When you know the title of the item you are seeking, the first step is to search by title in an online catalog.
- BGSU Libraries CatalogIndexes books, magazines and journals, videos, music, and electronic resources that are owned by BGSU.
- OhioLINK Central CatalogIf BGSU doesn't own the book, try the OhioLINK Central Catalog. It contains the holdings of the libraries at more than 80 colleges and universities throughout Ohio. You can request OhioLINK books online and have them delivered in 2-4 days.
- WorldCatWorldCat is a database of the holdings of many libraries throughout North American and some other countries. If you identify a publication you want to borrow, you can use your Interlibrary Loan (ILL) account to request it.
Finding Books That Include Primary Sources
One way to identify books that are primary sources is to look for books written by people who were involved in the event or activity you are researching. When you look at secondary sources, write down the names of people and then look for them as authors.
In the BGSU Libraries Catalog, the OhioLINK Central Catalog, and WorldCat, books that have been assigned subjects with the subheadings in the list below might be primary sources. However, don’t expect that a book that includes primary sources will always include one of these words or phrases in a subject heading. Also, these subheadings are not used in other databases.
--Diaries
--Correspondence
--Biography
--Sources
--Anecdotes
--Personal narratives
--Interviews
Examples:
Fighter Pilots -- United States -- Biography
Soldiers -- Alabama -- Correspondence
War Correspondents -- United States -- Interviews
African American Sailors -- Diaries
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives, American
United States. Army. Women's Army Corps -- Biography
World War, 1939-1945 -- Cryptography -- History -- Sources
For information about the difference between primary and secondary sources, see: