History Databases
Discover It
This session will take a different approach. Using history as a topic, we will explore various databases from multiple vendors for U.S., World, and Wyoming history.
Video Segments
U.S. History
History Reference Center (6:42)
U.S. History in Context (7:53)
19th Century U.S. Newspapers (5:58)
Wyoming
Wyoming Newspaper Project (4:30)
World
World History in Context (5:45)
18th Century Collections Online (6:43)
Try It
- Select History Reference Center.
- Scroll to Timeline. Notice that there are U.S. and world events. Choose one and click on search. Look at the key players of that time.
- Use the More tab at the top and go into the Video/Image file. Search: Roosevelt or Nixon, baseball, or volcano.
- Compare History Reference Center and U.S. History in Context.
- Select 19th Century U. S. Newspapers. Search: cookery + entire article. Check out the fun variety of results. Go to pg. 2. Select an article and then select it in PDF portrait to see the entire newspaper page.
- Open the Wyoming Newspaper Project. What was going on in Cody in 1901? (Hint: click on Browse by County and then click on Search).
- Click on the picture of the antelope. Click on Browse by City. Take a look at the towns-are there some new to you? Select one and explore their newspaper.
- Open the Wyoming Place Names Wiki. Search your county or community. Are there folks in your community who would be good sources of stories for this database?
- Search: Point of Rocks (select Sweetwater County). Notice History and Stories below the name entry.
- Select features on the right-hand menu and check out a few. For example: Trails, Post Offices or Bars (no, not that kind of bar!)
- Select World History in Context. Search for images of Pablo Picasso’s paintings. Go into Events, Periods & Cultural Trends. Select a topic and look at the topic/portal page. Scroll to the magazines (don’t forget View All).
- Select 18th Century Collections Online.
- Search: cookery. Limit results to Medicine and Science (either on search page, or on the left on your results page).
- Browse through Chronology or Contextual Essays.
- Click on Key Documents and select a subject area. Choose one of the bibliographic citations.
Please share your comments and ideas below.
December 23, 2010 at 1:00 pm |
U.S. History in Context and World History in Context have so much depth! I love the variety and the layout. What great tools. The History Reference Center timeline and visual aids are useful too.
The Wyoming resources are great. It’s always fun to show patrons the Newspaper Project for historical or genealogical research and see how excited they get when they realize all the search possibilities.
December 27, 2010 at 10:23 am |
You saved the best for last. The Lexile reading level in History Reference Center is very useful. I’m wondering where the 1950s are in U.S. History in Context? 19th Century U.S. Newspapers and the Wyoming Newspaper Project are outstanding! To read “slave news” from the 1807 Raleigh Register was fascinating…enough that I could have spent the DAY browsing newspapers. Thanks for the database tour. So much I didn’t realize was there and will certainly pass along to patrons.
December 28, 2010 at 3:57 pm |
The U.S. History in Context’s feature to limit to primary sources is wonderful. This really opens up the items available to students, especially for History Day projects.
I tell genealogists about the Wyoming Newspaper Project all the time, and they are delighted! Those doing research out-of-state find it most helpful, as it often saves them a drive. That it’s keyword searchable is even better.
Great resources!
January 2, 2011 at 12:09 pm |
I have shared the U.S. History in context and the Wyoming Newspaper Project with our history teacher. He was excited with all the exciting and useful information he found.
January 7, 2011 at 1:12 pm |
We have had more experience with the Wyoming newspapers and the place names, but still got some new tips! And all of these are really great. Can see lots of usage, for myself doing genealogy, as well as the aspects for the students. Just wish we had more time to explore them completely and get comfortable using them. These have certainly helped. Thanks, Chris!
January 25, 2011 at 2:17 pm |
Finished!! Actually I really enjoyed the discovery it, try it, learn it series. It was informative and with the short classes I could just squeeze it in when I had a few minutes. Some things were review, but there was a lot that I didn’t know. This really expands the collections of the smaller libraries. Thanks,
January 26, 2011 at 6:36 pm |
18th Century Collections Online, along with the newspaper collections, are a great primary source. We are even using the Wyoming Newspaper Project to help with Campbell County’s centennial project. The personal stories in Wyoming Place Names Wiki is great!