Library Resources for Comp Lit 7

Databases and Indexes

  • The Library Catalog
  • Find known items: books you have identified in bibliographies, etc. (author or title search)
  • Find journals (title search)
  • Find books on your topic (subject or keyword search)
    • Some sample subject headings:
  • Dante Alighieri 1265-1321 Divina Commedia
  • Minnesingers
  • Chanson de Roland
  • Arthurian romances
  • Chaucer Geoffrey D 1400 Knowledge Literature
  • Dante Alighieri 1265-1321 Political And Social Views

    • Subject headings are precise and useful. Often a quick Keyword Search will help you discover appropriate subject headings.

  • MLA International Bibliography
    Main database for West European literatures, languages and folklore. Contains journal articles, chapters in books, dissertations, books, etc. No book reviews.
    • This database contains articles in many languages; it may be useful to limit your search to articles in English

  • Wilson Combined Indexes
    Journal articles only. Wide range of topics; mainstream English-language journals and a few foreign ones (from Time Magazine to Journal of Medieval and Early Modern studies). Includes book reviews.
    Advantage: direct links to some electronic journals; call numbers for journals in the library. Much less comprehensive but often more up-to-date than the MLA Bibliography.

  • Iter: Gateway to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
    Very focused on the medieval period, but not nearly as comprehensive as, for example, the MLA Bibliography.

    Some Reference Books (Good Starting Points)

    Bibliographies

    Bibliographies compile the research literature on an author or topic. They can be great time savers.

  • Look for "hidden bibliographies" not only in the reference books (above) but in any book or article on your topic.

  • Do a Subject Search in the Catalog : Dante Alighieri 1265 -1321 Bibliography

    • Getting books and articles from other libraries

    Interlibrary Loan: If the Dartmouth College Library doesn't own the item you need for your research, we can borrow it (or get a photocopy of an article) from another library which does have it. We have an award-winning Interlibrary Loan Department; they can get most items in 10-14 days. (Occasionally it's even less, but we can't guarantee it!) This service isn't for last-minute needs, obviously, but with some lead time we can get almost anything. There's no charge for the service.

  • Use the WorldCat to verify books in other libraries. Before you click on the ILL button in WorldCat, make sure you have checked the Dartmouth Library Catalog. (WorldCat does not always know whether we have a particular book.
  • Fill in a form (on-line or in paper, available at the Reference Desk) to order articles or books

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    Compiled by Reinhart Sonnenburg