www.library.ehc.edu
FINDING INFORMATION ON THE 1930s IN KELLY LIBRARY
Bridge Program 2013
If you’re studying the 1930s as a Bridge Program assignment, you might wonder how, or even if, Kelly Library can help
you.
In fact, you might be surprised about what material is available to you here in the library.
For starters, you might want to speak with a librarian. Some of you may have already taken this step.
He or she will probably lead you to the library’s reference section, and show you some titles that will have information
on the 1930s. The titles listed below, in call number order (the order in which they appear on the shelf), would be a
good place to begin:
Great Events in History: 20th Century: 1930-1937 REF D 421 .G629 2007 v. 5
Great Events in History: 20th Century: 1937-1940 REF D 421 .G629 2007 v. 6
Encyclopedia of American Intellectual History REF E 169.1. E624 2001 v. 1
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture REF E 169.1 .S764 (Look at the Time-Frame Index in vol. 5, pages 274-5)
Salem Decades: The Thirties in America REF E 169.12 .S2518 2011 (This title is also online at www.library.ehc.edu)
Encyclopedia of the Great Depression and the New Deal REF E 806 .C543 2001 vols. 1-2
Historical Dictionary of the New Deal REF E 806 .H58 1985
Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life: The Modern World REF GT 31 .G7 2004
Gale Virtual Reference Library online under Journal Articles & Databases on the library web page.
Next, you could look (or the librarian will help you look) in the library catalog
You can find the catalog on the library home page, www.library.ehc.edu .
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A subject search on United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945 in the catalog, limited to E&H, would result in this
list:
If any of these titles intrigue you, you can click on it to view the full record. The title in the catalog, Children between
the Wars: American Childhood, 1920-1940, caught my eye. Below is the full record, including the call number which will
tell you where to find the book in the library:
Then you can proceed to its location on the library shelves.
Note: you might be wondering about the strange call numbers—they don’t look like the call numbers you are used to
seeing in your high school or public library. This is the Library of Congress system, and you will get more information
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about this in your Transitions I, English 100, and English 101 classes. If you would like to see what subject areas the
letters in the call numbers represent, here is a link to a general outline of the Library of Congress system:
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/ . Also, here is a link to a tutorial
(http://uri.libguides.com/content.php?pid=123146&sid=1058372) at the University of Rhode Island that shows you how
to read the call numbers. And of course, the circulation staff and librarians will be happy to assist you if you need help
finding a book!
Below are some catalog subject headings that will lead you to more materials on the 1930s in the library’s collection:
Depressions -- 1929 -- United States
Nineteen Thirties
United States -- Economic conditions -- 1918-1945
United States -- History -- 1919-1933
United States -- History -- 1933-1945
United States -- Social conditions -- 1933-1945
Don’t hesitate to speak with a librarian if you need help using the catalog.
Another great source of information on the 1930s is Kelly Library’s periodical collection. Since E&H has been around
since 1836, the library has a very extensive backfile for many of its periodicals. Take a look at the following titles:
American Mercury
Atlantic Monthly
Century Magazine
Christian Century
Current History
Harper’s Magazine
Nation
National Geographic Magazine
North American Review
Scientific American
Time Magazine
The backfiles for all of these magazines extend at least as far back as the 1930s—some go back even farther.
Looking at these periodicals that actually come from the time period you are studying can give you an excellent
picture of news-worthy events, popular culture, and social attitudes of that time.
All of these titles are located in the Bound Periodicals section of the library, and are arranged alphabetically by title.
Also, the library subscribes to many online full-text databases that will have information on the 1930s. Two good ones
are Academic Search Complete and General OneFile. If you do not find enough information on your topic with the
sources listed above, please consult with a librarian on how to use these databases.
One more source of information on the 1930s is newspapers. Kelly Library has one paper, The New York Times that
covers the 1930s. It is on microfilm which is housed in microfilm cabinets on the main floor of the library.
There are microfilm reader printers that are easy to use and can make paper copies of articles.
So, there you have it. Without a lot of searching effort, you can see there is plentiful information in Kelly Library on the
1930s and the Depression era .
Remember: When you write your reports and papers, be sure to give credit for the exact words or unique ideas you
quote from another author in your paper. If you do not give credit to the source, you have committed plagiarism, which
is academic misconduct and a serious violation of E&H’s Honor Code. Your instructors and the librarians can show you
when and how to cite sources to avoid plagiarism. Just ask us!
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One last reminder: if you are not finding the information you need, please speak with a librarian. We’re here to
help you find material for your assignments.
Librarians
Jane Caldwell
Patty Greany
Jody Hanshew
Janet Kirby
Library Director / CIO
Lorraine Abraham
www.library.ehc.edu
ask@librarian@ehc.edu
276.944.6208
https://www.facebook.com/KellyLibrary
E&H / jec/6-2013
Circulation Staff
Jennifer Bassett
Cyndi Cunningham
David Lyons
Holly McCormick
Janice Snead