Partner with the Libraries
The University of Minnesota Libraries are here to partner with you in this work. Our collections are built to support the curriculum of the University. As you consider diversifying your course readings, please let us know what we can add to our collection to support you!
Our Subject Librarians & Departmental Liaisons work with academic departments to make the best use of information sources. Contact your Liaison to talk about the resources you're looking for.
Databases
This list points to some of our academic databases that have content from underrepresented groups or locations. This does not represent the extent of our collections. You may want to browse our full list of databases to find sources in a specific area.
- Access World NewsFull-text news from over 9,000 news sources in the U.S. and international newspapers, major wire services, and hundreds of local broadcasting outlets and blogs. There are over 100 Minnesota sources. Mostly English language news coverage with some 200 titles in Spanish, French, Afrikaans and other languages.
- AgEcon SearchAgEcon Search contains the full-text of working papers, conference papers and small journals in agricultural, development, energy, environmental, resource and other areas of applied economics
- Bibliography of Asian StudiesSearch topics, especially in the humanities and the social sciences, on East, Southeast, and South Asia published worldwide. You can also find citations to journal articles, chapters in edited volumes, conference proceedings, anthologies, and more.
- Bibliography of Indigenous Peoples in North AmericaCovering all aspects of native North American culture, history, and life with 80,000+ citations for books, essays, journal articles, and government documents of the United States and Canada. This resource covers a wide range of topics including archaeology, multicultural relations, gaming, governance, legend, and literacy. Dates of coverage for included content range from the sixteenth century to the present.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new windowA wide range of Black Studies resources including scholarly journals from around the world, US Black Newspapers, scholarly essays, historic indexes of Black Studies literature, and historic photos and videos.
- Chicano DatabaseSearch Mexican-American and Chicano studies and the broader Latino experience of Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans and Central American immigrants with topics such as art, education, health, language, literature, politics and more.
- Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)Comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. Publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 onward that includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, books, journals and policy briefs.
- Ethnic NewsWatchEthnic NewsWatch is a current resource of full-text newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press from 1990, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives.
- Index IslamicusSearch publications (e.g. journals, books) on Islam and the Muslim world more broadly, spanning Africa, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Search for topics such as history, beliefs, societies, cultures, economics, politics, languages and literature.
- Index to Jewish PeriodicalsSearch English-language journals, articles, book reviews on Jewish culture, history, literature, religion and other areas of related study. Useful for topics in contemporary Jewish and Middle Eastern affairs.
- LGBTQ+ SourceLGBTQ+ Source contains indexing, abstracts, amd select full text for LGBTQ+ specific core periodicals. Books, newsletters, case studies, dissertations, and core primary sources are also represented. LGBTQ+ Source content is largely unique from other databases, and it includes indexing from its own LGBTQ+ focused thesaurus.
- Race Relations AbstractsDiscover articles covering essential areas related to race relations, including ethnic studies, discrimination, immigration studies, and other areas of key relevance to the discipline.
- ScopusSearch for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
- Web of ScienceAlso, search the Emerging Sources Citation Index to find journals by topic and region.
- Women's Studies InternationalThis database is a compilation of ten databases covering journal articles, books, anthology chapters, and reports for feminist writings from 1972 to the present.
- Women's Studies InternationalThis database is a compilation of ten databases covering journal articles, books, anthology chapters, and reports for feminist writings from 1972 to the present.
- Women's Wear Daily Archive, 1910-currentSearch the full text digital archive of the fashion industry's most influential trade magazines from 1910-present. Research the history of the industry, as well as major designers, brands, retailers and advertisers. Limited to 10 simultaneous users.
- WorldCatFind books, journals, articles, maps, music scores, sound recordings, films, theses/dissertations, machine-readable data files, and any other materials available in libraries worldwide. All subject areas are covered. Request items through Interlibrary Loan using the ILLiad link on each item's record. A mobile version of this database is available. Limited to 65 simultaneous users.
Databases that Offer Multiple Points of View
These databases are designed to offer multiple perspectives and points of view around specific topics. They can be good for identifying additional points of view that you may want to consider adding to a course.
- Opposing Viewpoints in ContextFind articles on current issues, including viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, magazine and newspaper articles.
- CQ ResearcherCQ Researcher provides in-depth coverage of important issues of the day. Reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted, and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research. Shorter "Hot Topics" articles provide a solid introduction to subjects in demand.
Encyclopedias and other Reference Sources
These can be good for providing background information on a topic.
- World Religion Database (WRD)WRD contains detailed statistics on religious affiliation for every country of the world. It provides source material, including censuses and surveys, to give estimates at multiple dates for each of the world's religions for the period 1900 to 2050.
- Encyclopaedia of IslamSearch the Encyclopeadia of Islam for authoritative information on Islamic studies, covering Islam and its believers in contexts up through the 20th Century.
- Gale EbooksSearch encyclopedias and reference books from various publishers in many subjects, including art, biography, business, cultural studies, education, the environment, history, religion, science, and social science.
- Oxford Reference OnlineContains 100 language and subject dictionaries and other reference works, and searches across these resources. Limited to 5 simultaneous users.
Primary sources in arts, humanities, & social sciences
History, Humanities, Social Sciences
Primary sources in these disciplines are original records created at the time historical events occurred or well after events in the form of memoirs and oral histories.
Examples include: Letters, manuscripts, diaries, rare books, historical photographs, first-hand accounts or documentary sources on a subject, person, event or issue; newspapers written at the time of an event, song, or film from time period, historical maps, government reports or data, etc.
Mapping Prejudice
- Mapping PrejudiceVisualizing the hidden histories of race and privilege in Minneapolis. This map shows how racial restrictions were embedded in the physical landscape of our community. Using racial covenants in Hennepin County property deeds, this site illuminates how much land was reserved for the exclusive use of white people for most of the twentieth century.
Immigration History Research Center Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Immigration History Research Center Archives (IHRCA)The Immigration History Research Center Archives documents im/migration to the United States from 1850 to the present, with materials created largely by immigrants and social service providers.
Givens Collection of African American Literature (in Andersen Library)
- Givens Collection of African American LiteratureThe Givens Collection consists of over 10,000 books, magazines, and pamphlets by or about African Americans. Included are novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays, literary criticism, periodicals, and biographies that span nearly 250 years of American culture, with particular strength in the areas of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement.
- Umbra Search African American HistoryA freely available search tool and widget that brings together over 400,000 digitized materials documenting African American culture and history from over 1,000 libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions.
Social Welfare History Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Social Welfare History ArchivesThe Archives documents the history of social service programs, policies, and organizations; the evolution of the social work profession; and social reform movements.
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Upper Midwest Jewish ArchivesThe Upper Midwest Jewish Archives has materials illustrating the American Jewish experience from a Midwestern perspective, chronicling the activities of the local Jewish population in creating and supporting ethnic/religious communities and advocacy organizations, as well as their efforts to promote social welfare and social justice.
Kautz Family YMCA Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Kautz Family YMCA ArchivesThe Kautz Family YMCA Archives collects the historical records of the Y's national resource office, records of the Greater Twin Cities and Greater New York YMCAs, and those of Y's Men International, a service club in partnership with the Y. The YMCA Archives documents one of the nation’s largest and oldest nonprofits and its programs to support social welfare, spiritual and mental development, and physical education.
Charles Babbage Institute Archive (in Andersen Library)
- Charles Babbage Institute ArchivesThe Charles Babbage Institute Archives (CBIA) collects, preserves and provides access to rich archival collections and rare publications documenting the history of technology, from the era of electromechanical calculators, through the development of the digital computer, mainframes, mini and microcomputers, software, the Internet, and computer graphics.
Northwest Architectural Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Northwest Architectural ArchivesThe Northwest Architectural Archives is the repository for the records of architects, engineers, contractors, landscape architects, interior designers, and local professional societies from the Midwest region.
Children's Literature Research Collections (in Andersen Library)
- Children's Literature Research CollectionsThe Children's Literature Research Collections (CLRC) is an internationally recognized children's literature library and archive. It holds books, manuscripts, illustrations, comic books, story papers, and other materials related to the creation of historical and modern children's literature, including archival materials and original artwork for 1700 authors and illustrators.
Upper Midwest Literary Archives (in Andersen Library)
- Upper Midwest Literary ArchivesThe resources in the Upper Midwest Literary Archives are integral to the study of literary history, independent publishing, and writers of the Upper Midwest.
University of Minnesota Archives (in Andersen Library)
- University of Minnesota ArchivesUniversity Archives is the home for historical documents, departmental collections, data, photographs, publications, and websites of the University of Minnesota-Twin Citiets, including faculty papers and research and administrative records.