Before beginning historical research in any area, be sure you know what has already been done in that field. Start with basic sources such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, monographs, and journal databases.
Below is a representative list, not a complete bibliography of resources available. For access to electronic books, click the title.
Encyclopedia of Blacks in European History and Culture by 
Europe 1450-1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World by 
Presidents and Black America by 
Smithsonian Timelines of HistoryPlease contact a reference librarian to set up a research consultation. We can connect in person, by email, virtually, or by phone. Call 318-357-6263 or email reference@nsula.edu.
Writing History by 
The Information-Literate Historian by "Primary" sources are the original documents from which history is written: government records, letters,manuscripts, contemporary newspapers, diaries, and similar items from that time. These are usually kept in libraries and archives, though many are now digitized online. Below is a list of primary-source databases at NSULA Libraries. Find their links in the Database Directory by Title.
African American Historical Serials Collection
African American Newspapers 1827-1998
America's Historical Newspapers: Louisiana 1837-1922
Historical Periodical Collection Series 5: 1866-1877 [AAS]
Civil War Primary Source Documents
European Views of the Americas: 1493-1750
History E-Books: Defining Documents in American History.
These libraries and archives are also reliable sources for primary sources:
Louisiana Digital Library
Library of Congress
National Archives of the United Kingdom
United States National Archives
Most scholarly articles, especially those published since 1986, are in online journal databases organized by subject, author, title, and other search fields. Find the Database Directory on the library's homepage and click on "history" in the subject categories. If an item is not full-text, check the catalog for print periodicals before requesting it through Interlibrary Loan.
To access books and articles that are not available in the library or online through the ebooks or databases, you may use Interlibrary Loan. Use your NSU credentials to sign up for this service on the library's homepage. To request a loan, use the linked form, which needs the bibliographic information for the book or journal article you want.
