Researching Women in the 20th Century United States

This is a list of some of the resources in the Paul Robeson Library, and on the Internet, concerning American women in the 20th century. For more information please ask a reference librarian.

• Reference Works
  
• Locating Books
  
• Appropriate Journal Indexes
  
• Contemporary Journals and Indexes
  
• U.S. Government Documents
  
• Selected Internet Resources
  

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Reference Works

General

Almanac of American Women in the 20th Century / REF HQ 1420 C55 1987
Notable American Women / REF CT 3260 N57
Statistical Handbook of Women in America / REF HQ 1420 T34 1996
New Jersey Historical Manuscripts / REF F 134 M97 1987
Invisible Philadelphia / REF F 158.18 I584x 1995
Cultural Connections / REF E 169.1 V88 1991

Bibliographies

American Diaries / REF CT 214 A74
Published Diaries and Letters of American Women / REF CT 3260 G66 1987
Biographies of American Women / REF CT 3260 S94 1990
Woman in America / REF HQ 1426 T4 1980
Political Participation of Women in the United States / REF HQ 1236 S73 1997

Locating Books

Use these subject headings when looking for books in IRIS, the Rutgers Libraries Catalog:

• United States History 20th Century Women
• Women Periodicals
• Feminism Periodicals

Be aware that items at the Alexander Library in New Brunswick purchased before c. 1970 and not checked out since then are not included in IRIS. We have a copy of their old card catalog from c. 1970 on microfilm. Ask at the Reference Desk for more information.

When using IRIS try using the "search everything" option. Search for personal names or keywords associated with your topic.

Two other catalogs may be useful in locating resources for your paper. Both will include some primary sources. You can request items from these catalogs on interlibrary loan.

• RLIN -- database of catalogs from research libraries
• CRL (Center for Research Libraries) -- research collections and other materials

Appropriate Journal Indexes

The library has several journal indexes available. The best index for you will depend on your topic. Some of the general indexes that are likely to be relevant are:

• America: History & Life
  
• Sociofile
  
• PAIS
  
• Periodical Contents Index
  
• Women Studies Abstracts (in paper only)
  

Contemporary Journals, Indexes and Databases

To locate primary sources in newspapers or magazines, use the following indexes:

• Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (on index tables in Reference area)
  
• International Index to Periodicals (on index tables in Reference area)
  
• PAIS (on Index tables in Reference area; cumulative index 1915-1974)
• New York Times Index (on tables in Reference area, 1851 - present)
  
• North American Womens' Letters and Diaries, colonial to 1950 [online]
  
• International Women's Periodicals (1800's through 1920's)[online]

U.S. Government Documents

The primary index to U.S. goverment documents is the GPO Index. For primary source documents the following indexes may be helpful:

• Monthy Catalog (there are decennial indexes, for example, 1941-1950)
  
• U.S. Serial Set Index (grouped by years, such as 1935-1946 and 1947-1958)
  
• U.S. Congressional Committee Hearing Index (also grouped by years, 1935-1944, 1945-1952)
  
• Cumulated Index to the US Department of State Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1939-1945 / REF JX 233 A3
  
• United States Government Documents on Women, 1800-1990, v. 2 Labor / REF HQ 1410 H85 1993 v. 2
  

Materials in the U.S. Documents collection do not appear in the IRIS catalog. Use the documents indexes to locate the documents (SUDOC) number for the items you want. Other than census or treaty materials the Robeson Library documents collection has few items printed prior to the 1960's. The law library on campus will have congressional documents. Other documents can be ordered from other Rutgers Libraries or on Interlibrary Loan.

Legal Materials

There are some sources in the Robeson Library which may be useful. However, the law library has a much more complete collection, including international documents. If you would like some assistance in finding out what the law library has, talk to a librarian at Robeson or at the law library.

Selected Internet Resources

British and American History (http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/history/history.shtml)
National Archives and Records Administration, Women's History Guide (http://www.nara.gov/alic/rayd/women.html)
University of Wisconsin Women's Studies Librarian's Office (http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/)
Celebration of Women Writers (http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/)