CSUN WordmarkOviatt Library

Anthropology 108: Cultures of Latin America (short guide)

sun symbolProcess: The steps in using the resources listed below

  1. Search for country information in CIA WorldFact Book or CountryWatch. Each will have a map of the country and the flag. Look for a listing of the ethnic groups in the country. This will help you find more specific information in the other resources.
    CIA World Fact Book articles about countries of the world, regional and topical maps.
    Location: Internet:http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html|
    Country Studies/ Library of Congress and U.S. Dept. of the Army
    Location: Internet:http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html|
    CountryWatch.Com News, statistics and trends for 191 countries
    Location: Internet http://www.countrywatch.com/cwsignin.asp
    Encyclopedia Britannica General Reference information
    Location: Internet http://library.csun.edu/restricted/eb.scr
    Latin America and the Caribbean : selected economic and social data.
    Location: Reference Room HC121 .L38
    Statistical abstract of Latin America.
    Location: Reference Room HA935 .S8
  2. Search the Encyclopedias listed below and other in the Reference Room which provide you with more information about the ethnic groups and the culture of the country.
    The Cambridge encyclopedia of Latin America and the Caribbean.General editors, Simon Collier, Harold Blakemore, Thomas E. Skidmore.
    Location: Reference Room F1406 .C36 1992
    Cambridge world history of food.
    Location: Reference Room TX253 .C253 2000
    Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology.Editors, David Levinson, Melvin Ember. New York : Henry Holt and Co., 1996.
    Location: Reference Room GN307 .E52 1996 4 v.
    Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life.
    Location: Reference Room GN 333 W67 1996 v.2
    Encyclopedia of Latin American history and culture / Barbara A. Tenenbaum, editor in chief. New York : London : C. Scribner's Sons ; Simon & Schuster : Prentice Hall International, c1996.
    Location: Reference Room: F1406 .E53 1996 4 v.
    Encyclopedia of World Cultures. David Levinson, editor in chief. Boston, Mass. : G.K. Hall, 1991-
    Location: Reference Room GN307 .E53 1991 v. 7-8
    Location: Internet: http://suncat.csun.edu/record=b2032342
    Handbook of Latin American Studies. Gainesville, Fla : University of Florida Press.
    Location: FLOOR3 Z1605 .H23
    Location: Internet HLAS Online / Library of Congress. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/hlas/
  3. For Biographical Information and more specialized information, check our special databases for music, art, literature and history.
    Contemporary Hispanic biography. Detroit : The Gale Group Inc., c2002-
    Location: Reference Room F1407 .C66 (4 v.-)
    Dictionary of Hispanic biography. Joseph C. Tardiff & L. Mpho Mabunda, editors. New York : Gale Research, c1996.
    Location: Reference Room CT1343 .D53 1996
    A Reference guide to Latin American history. James D. Henderson, Helen Delpar, Maurice P. Brungardt [editors] ; Richard N. Weldon, technical editor. Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe, c2000.
    Location: Reference Room F1410 .R395 2000
    Who's who in Latin America : government, politics, banking & industry.
    Location: Reference Room F1407 .W52 4th ed. 1997 v.1-2
    Grove Dictionary of Art
    Use Grove Art.
    Full Text.
    Grove Dictionary of Music
    Use Grove Music.| About Grove Music
    Full Text.
    Literature Resource Center
    Use Literature Resource Center. | About Literature Resource Center
    Full Text.
  4. If you are unable to find the information you need, please email me to make an appointment.

Find Books:

Library Online Catalog |

Links to other library catalogs
World Cat, Melvyl and more!

Library of Congress Subject Headings (Select) (finding books):

Subject Keyword Search:
[Latin American Country/Region] Social Life and Customs

Find Articles:

Academic Universe - Lexis Nexis
A wide variety of information including: articles from Newspapers, journals, law reviews, case law and more
AcademicSearch Elite (EbscoHost)
Full-text and citations from journals and magazines, may limit to only search full-text, within a specific date range and peer reviewed journals
AnthroSource
"Complete electronic archive of all AAA journals through 2003 ... Current issues for 11 of the AAA's most critical peer-reviewed publications."
Ethnic News Watch
Full-text database of selected newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press in the United States. Alternative to mainstream media so gives a different perspective
General OneFile
Full-text and citations from journals and magazines, may limit to only search full-text, within a specific date range and refereed journals
JStor Journal Storage Project
Archival collection of scholarly articles from various academic displines, including Anthropology, History, Political Science, and Sociology, the most recent articles are at least 2-5 years old.

Internet Resources

 

Evaluating Print & Electronic Resources

World Wide Web sites come in many sizes and styles. How do you distinguish a site that gives reliable information from one that gives incorrect information? Below are some guidelines to help.

For both print and Internet resources, consider:

  

Authority
Content
Coverage
Timeliness
Accuracy
Objectivity

Types of Web Sites: the url is a key

.gov
.edu
.org
.com

Check for Full Text Using Find Text

If the article isn't available full text in the database you are searching, click the Find Text button to see if we have access to the full text through another database or in print. A new page opens that will have one or more of the following links:

  • Full text available via [database name]: Click to access the full-text online. If the link takes you to a publication-level page, you can navigate to the article by first choosing the correct year, then the correct month or volume number, then the issue, and then selecting the article from the displayed table of contents.
  • We have this. Check availability in CSU Northridge Catalog: We have the article in print. Click to view the catalog record for the journal or magazine. You'll need to note the call number and then go to the fourth floor to get the article.
  • Request document via Interlibrary Loan: We do not have the article online or in print. You can request the article via interlibrary loan (takes approximately ten working days).

For more information, see About Find Text.

Narrow or Broaden Your Search

Use AND between terms to narrow your search

example: television and violence and children

Use OR and/or truncate (*, ?) words to broaden your search

example: children or youth or adolescents
example: child* (will find child, children, etc.) Note: check online help for  the correct truncation symbol

Saving Items to E-mail, Print or Download from the Library Catalog

To save items:

  • From a multiple item results list, select the checkboxes next to the items you wish to save, then click Save Marked Records.
  • In an individual record, click Save Record.

To export items:

  1. To e-mail, print or download saved items, click the "View Saved" button.
  2. Choose an export format:
    • "Brief Display" includes publication information only.
    • "Full Display" includes location, call number, subject headings, and other descriptive information.
    • "End-Note/RefWorks" to export citations for use in EndNote Web, EndNote Desktop, or Refworks.
  3. Under "Send list to" choose an export method:
    • For e-mail: select E-mail and provide a "Mail To" address and subject line
    • For printing: select screen (you will use the browser's print function)
    • For saving as a text (.txt) file or other file format: select local disk
  4. Click Submit.

Access Databases from Off Campus

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An alternative is to download and use the campus Virtual Private Network. This allows you to use your computer as if it was on campus. The VPN also supports uploading files to your campus udrive.

For more information, see Accessing Library Resources from Off-Campus and the Library's Copyright Statement (in particular, the Appropriate Use of Oviatt Library's Electronic Resources section).