Databases & E-Journals
Online Library Guide
MIT Program in Women's Studies
Marlene Manoff Associate Head/ Collection Manager, Humanities Library mmanoff@MIT.EDU
This is primarily a guide to research materials in the Humanities Library. By browsing the shelves and using the online catalog, electronic databases and the internet, you will be able to uncover other relevant materials available in Humanities, in other libraries at MIT and elsewhere. This guide focuses on general reference sources for Women's Studies; among the more specialized subject areas, only the topic of Women in Science is covered here.
Materials in the Humanities reference collection (14S-200) have call numbers preceded by the designation HUM REF and may be used only in the library, while materials from the Women's Studies Research Room (14E-311), with call numbers preceded by WSRR, circulate for 28 days.
Introduction to library research in Women's studies. 1985. WSRR ZHQ1206.S4
Women's studies : a guide to information sources. 1990. HUM REF ZHQ1206.C37
Comprehensive guide to reference sources in Women's studies, covering material published from 1978 to 1989. It is international in scope, but with an emphasis on English-language publications. Also lists libraries, archives and databases especially concerned with women. The entries are arranged in three large subdivisions; general material, reference sources on "women in the world" and material on special subjects in Women's studies. There is an author, title and subject index.
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Continuum dictionary of women's biography. 1989 HUM REF CT3202.I57
This biographical dictionary provides over 250 short articles on the lives of women from antiquity to the present, the majority of entrants from America, Europe and the British Commonwealth. Entries are often accompanied by a reference to biography or autobiography. A list of additional reference sources and a subject index are included.
Index to women of the world from ancient to modern times: biographies and portraits. 1970 +Supplement 1988. HUM REF ZCT3202.I65
Gives brief entries on about 13,000 women, only including dates, country and occupation, and lists biographical sources for further information. The 1988 supplement includes new biographies as well as new sources for older ones.
Notable American women, 1607-1950 : a biographical dictionary. v.1-3, 1971 and Notable American women : the modern period. 1980 HUM REF CT3260.N899 and CT3260.N9
Gives lengthy biographical entries on American women, including bibliographical references. There is a classified list of selected biographies, arranged according to the professions of the women described. Volumes 1 to 3 include women who died before 1951; the supplement volume, The modern period, provides biographies for those who died between 1951 and 1975.
Women in Particular : an index to American women. 1984. HUM REF HQ1412.H47
Biographical index to American women from Colonial times to the present. Entries are arranged by career, ethnicity, geography, religion and chronology. Each entry gives name, relevant dates, short career description and sources for biographical research. Includes name index.
Women in science: antiquity through the nineteenth century: a bibliographical dictionary with annotated bibliography. 1986.WSRR Q141.O34 and SCI REF Q141.O34
Provides about 200 biographical accounts of women scientists from the Western world born before 1885. Also includes a classified, briefly annotated 50-pages bibliography of biographical material and a name index.
Women scientists from antiquity to the present : an index. 1986. HUM REF Q141.H475
Entries give name, dates, nationality, profession and source code, which refers to more detailed biographical resources. The main arrangement is A-Z and there is an additional index listing the women by field of activity. Women from less traditional science fields, like nurses, midwives, cartographers etc. are also included.
Dictionary of Feminist theory, 2nd ed. 1995. WSRR HQ1115.H86
"Provides a guide to the terminology and history of feminist theory", mainly Anglo-American and French. Includes a bibliography.
Encyclopedia of feminism. 1986. WSRR HQ1115.T87
Provides short articles in alphabetical order on central figures, events and organizations of the feminist movement, mainly in the United States and Britain. Includes a bibliography
Encyclopedia of women's associations worldwide : a guide to over 3,400 national and multinational nonprofit women's and women-related organizations. 1993. HUM REF HQ1883.E53.
Provides contact information for national and multinational women's organizations. Also lists founding date, staffing, membership, awards offered, if any, with brief descriptions of the organization's purpose. Arranged alphabetically by geographic region, by country, and then by name of organization. Has name and activities indexes.
Encyclopedia of Women's history in America. 1996 HUM REF HQ1410.C85
From Facts on File, this book on US women's history "is intended to bring together information about the organizations founded, the books and newspapers published, the speeches given, the documents signed, the demonstrations and conventions held, the legislative actions proposed and enacted, the task forces and committees convened, and the legal rulings rendered" Appendix has text of documents from the US constitution to the 1992 Supreme Court ruling in Harris vs Forklift. Bibliography and index.
Handbook of American Women's history. 1990. HUM REF HQ1410.p6
Offers articles on concepts, events, organizations and individuals in the field of American Women's history, arranged alphabetically. Entries also give cross-references and short bibliographies. Includes name and subject index.
Historical dictionary of feminism. 1996 HUM REF HQ1115.B65
Paragraph-length entries define and place in historical context people, organizations, legal, literary, and vernacular terms relating to feminism. The introduction and the chronology (from Christine de Pizan's "The Book of the City of Women" in 1405 to the UN's 4th world conference on women in 1995) provide brief overviews of the history of feminism. There is a 5 page list of acronyms and an extensive (119 page) bibliography.
Milestones: a chronology of American Women's history. 1997. HUM REF HQ1410.W434
Entries range from 1492 and Columbus's debt to his mother-in-law, to the 1995 Labor Department estimate that by the end of the century, women will make up close to half of the workforce, more than double the percentage at the beginning of the century. The years between are grouped into 11 chapters whose headings (...Age of Exploration, 1492-1699...Puritanism to Revolution, 1700-1775÷) suggest a context for the entries. Bibliography and index.
W.I.S.H : the international handbook of women's studies. 1993. HUM REF HQ1180.W2
Contains four sections. Section 1 gives country -by-country contact information for women's studies courses and research centers, course degrees awarded, and research center publications. Section 2 gives contact information for training opportunities for women in the areas of arts and media, assertiveness training, equal opportunity, health and therapy, management, self-employment and science, technology and computing. Section 3 covers research resources, defined as bookshops, book clubs, libraries, archives, resource centers and women's organizations. Section 4 is a bibliography of journals, magazines, dictionaries and handbooks.
Women's issues. V.1-3. 1997. HUM REF HQ1115.W6425
Focusing on the US and Canada, this encyclopedia is meant to give an historical context to the items entered. Relevant issues and Significance are identified for each entry. See also references and short bibliographies follow most entries. Appendices include lists of US and Canadian colleges and universities offering degrees in women's studies; landmarks, monuments, and historical sites; museums, archives and research centers; organizations and societies; significant Supreme Court decisions affecting women; a time line (beginning 1614 with Pocahontas); a classified bibliography & a filmography. There are indexes for entries alphabetically and by category and an index for named persons. A list of contributors is given but articles are unsigned.
Women's studies encyclopedia. V.1 - 3. 1989 - 1991. HUM REF HQ1115.W645 and WSRR HQ1115.W645 (V.1)
This reference work covers topics related to and affecting women from many different fields. Volume 1 covers science, medicine, economics, linguistics, political and legal sciences. Volume 2 is concerned with literature, arts, and learning. Volume 3 covers philosophy and history. Each article provides further references and there is a selected bibliography and a subject index at the back of each volume.
A Women's thesaurus: an index of language used to describe and locate information by and about women. 1987 WSRR Z695.1.W65.W65
The thesaurus is designed to help with creating filing systems, indexes and bibliographies and to encourage the use of standardized terms. The terms are based on the Library of Congress subject headings with broader, narrower and related terms given for most entries. There is a section on Construction and Use of the thesaurus, Subject use, and a do not use list which is a guide to non-sexist/ non-judgmental language.
Women's words : the Columbia book of quotations by women. 1996. HUM REF PN6084.W6.B47
Quotations are arranged by subject - from abnormality to youth. The collection "emphasizes the US and England in the last two centuries." Index of sources.
Information please Women's sourcebook. 1994. HUM REF HQ1101.I64
A "comprehensive survey drawing on over 1000 resources, organizations, and statistics that describe and influence the lives of American women today." Twelve sections on education, work, child care, health, well-being, fertility, sexuality & relationships, divorce & custody, retirement years, politics, violence & safety and activism contain a mix of statistics, timelines, essays and lists of resources such as bookstores, organizations and offices related to each topic. Has appendices and organizational and subject indexes.
The lesbian almanac. 1996. HUM REF HQ75.6.U5.L35
Includes an overview of North American gay & lesbian history, a guide to notable North American lesbians, quotations, statistics and a glossary of terms. Chapters on art, education, families, health, media, the military, religion, sex, sports and travel. Has National directories of lesbian & gay centers, organizations and resources. Index.
Resourceful woman. 1994. HUM REF HQ1115.B73
Has fifteen sections on aging, arts, community, education, global issues, health, history, kinship, politics, sexuality, spirituality, sports, violence against women, work, and youth. One-third of the volume consists of names & addresses of organizations dealing with each topic, two-thirds consists of essays, fiction and poetry. Has selected list of booksellers and index..
The woman source: catalog & review. 1995. HUM REF HQ1121.W58
An eclectic annotated and illustrated source for information, books and more. Consists of seven chapters further divided into sub-topics such as Environment or Healthcare or Music or Relationships. Liberally sprinkled with quotes from activists and with provocative statistics, this book has an index but also makes good browsing.
The Women's guide to the wired world. 1997. HUM REF ZA4201.P46
Part one, The Basics and beyond, gives an overview of going online, practices and etiquette for chat groups, and how to run on-line meetings, how to use FTP, gopher, and telnet, and discusses free speech issues. Part two, The Resources, consists largely of lists of websites or email lists thematically grouped. There is a glossary of computer-related terms and a fairly general index.
Feminist research methods : an annotated bibliography. 1991. HUM REF HQ1180.M54
References to articles, documents and books on feminist approaches to research in general and in the following fields: sociology, anthropology, psychology, history, political science, economics, geography, architecture and urban planning, communication and science. Includes brief introduction to each section. Subject and author indexes.
An index to Women's studies anthologies: research across the disciplines, 1980-1984. 1994. HUM REF HQ1111.B76
Indexes 474 non-fiction anthologies. Has subject, editor, author and keyword indexes.
New books on women and feminism. Periodical. WSRR - (shelved by title).
Published twice a year. Citations are grouped by discipline and, except for the new periodicals section, are unannotated. Author and subject indexes.
Feminist periodicals: a current listing of contents. Periodical. WSRR - (shelved by title).
Quarterly, reproduces tables of contents from current issues of major feminist journals. Includes annotated listing of source journals giving contact information and subject focus / statement of purpose of the journal.
Feminist collections: a quarterly of Women's studies resources. Periodical. WSRR - (shelved by title).
Essay-length critical reviews of books, periodicals, films, and videos. The Computer Talk column reviews and gives addresses for email lists and websites. Current and archived columns, as well as bibliographies and core lists of Women's studies resources and links to hundreds of other websites are available online at http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/
Women : a bibliography of bibliographies. 2nd ed. 1986. WSRR ZHQ1121.B3
Comprehensive bibliography of bibliographies which includes books, pamphlets, journal articles as well as databases concerned with Women's studies. Covers publications from 1970 through 1985. Most of the 906 entries are arranged geographically or by topical subject. Includes name, title, and subject indexes.
The Women's movement: references and resources. 1993. HUM REF HQ1236.5.U6.R93 1993
An annotated bibliography on the Women's movement in the United States. Six chapters cover early Women's rights movements, contemporary movements, biographies and autobiographies of activists, feminist theory, social issues and a guide to sources.
Women's studies : a recommended core bibliography. 1979 + Suppl. 1980 - 1985. 1987. HUM REF ZHQ1180.S7
Annotated bibliography of English-language books and periodicals that support research on women-related topics. It includes a large variety of fields like anthropology, arts, literature, medicine, politics, etc. Also lists reference sources for Women's studies. Books are listed alphabetically under broad subject headings. The first volume covers material published before 1980, the years from 1980 to 1985 are covered by the supplement. Both volumes include author, title and subject indexes
Feminism and Women's issues : an annotated bibliography and research guide. 1990. v.1 & 2. HUM REF ZHQ1206.W37
Comprehensive 2-volume bibliography which lists books and periodical articles on feminism and Women's issues - most published after 1960. Entries are arranged under broad subject headings like Women and work, Women and health, etc. which are then subdivided. A list of general bibliographic sources and a list of periodicals are also included. Unfortunately, there are no indexes.
Women studies abstracts. v.1, No.1, Winter 1972 to date. HUM REF HQ.W8725
On-going, quarterly bibliography with a cumulated annual subject and author index which abstracts articles from a wide range of mostly English-language periodicals. Also lists book reviews.
Women's studies index. 1989-1994. HUM REF HQ1180.W66
Indexes popular and scholarly journals focusing on issues of concern to women. Authors, subjects and cross references are filed in a single alphabetical arrangement. The periodicals indexed (predominantly American) are listed and subscription information is given. Indexes book reviews.
Women in American history : a bibliography. V.1&2 1979-1985. HUM REF ZHQ1410.p7
Abstracts articles on the history of women in the United States and Canada from 550 English-language periodicals and some collections. Entries are listed under broad chronological subject headings further divided into subdivisions. Volume 1 covers articles published between 1963 and 1976, volume 2, the period between 1976 and 1984.
Women's history sources : a guide to archives and manuscript collections in the United States. V.1&2 1979. HUM REF ZHQ1410.W6
This guide records the results of the 1975 to 1978 "Women's History Sources Survey". It describes 18,000 collections in 1586 United States repositories, arranged geographically by state and city. Included are collections which "contain material by women or about Women's lives or roles" from the Colonial age to the present. The entries in volume 1 give the type of records, dates, size of the collection, access, repository name and a short description of the contents. Volume 2 provides a cross-reference name, subject and geographic index.
Women of color and Southern women : a bibliography of social science research. 1975 to 1988 + Annual supplement 1989. HUM REF HQ1420.W65
Results from a project to set up an on-line database for research on women of color and Southern women in the United States. It includes works from a variety of fields and indexes periodicals as well as books, doctoral theses and works-in-progress. Entries are organized by six major subject headings with further subdivisions. Includes an author and a key-word index. The initial volume covers publication years 1975 to 1988; there is a supplement for the first 6 months of 1989.
The Women's atlas of the United States. 1995. HUM REF G1201.E1.G5
Gives statistical data through the extensive use of maps. Short essays sum up trends in the areas covered. Includes information on demography, education, employment, family, health, crime and politics. The introduction explains the use of maps and data. There is an appendix, a map bibliography, suggestions for further reading and an index.
Statistical handbook on women in America. 1st ed. 1991 and 2d ed. 1996 HUM REF HQ1420.T34
Compiles statistics concerned with American Women's socio-economic conditions, employment and education, health and possibilities for their future. The 437 statistical charts are reproduced from federal government publications, with the data being presented in an historical and sometimes an international context where possible. Includes a guide to information sources, a glossary of terms and an index.
Where women stand: an international report on the status of women in 140 countries, 1997-1998. 1997 WSRR HQ1154.N39
The first 165 pages consist of short essay overviews (Women in today's world,...Education,...Employment,...Marriage and divorce,...Family planning,...Health,...Violence...) Data is provided in charts and graphs. The bulk of the book consists of 21 country profiles providing the same information in greater detail. Information comes from UN and WHO publications, NGOs and from self-reporting from the participating countries. Includes brief chronology, bibliography, glossary and index.
The world's women 1995: trends and statistics. 1995. HUM REF HQ1154.W67
Published by the United Nations as an official document for the Fourth World Conference on Women, this volume contains statistics drawn mainly from official national and international sources covering the condition of women worldwide. Analytical essays on the topics of population, health, education, work, and power & influence accompany and interpret the statistical tables and graphs. Each entry is footnoted and a list of statistical sources is given at the end. No index.
This page was last updated on 12/04/07