The links on this page provide good starting points for research on your book's historical and cultural context. In addition to these sources, consult library research guides related to your topic, as they will also list recommended databases and reference books. For additional assistance, contact a librarian.
These databases can be good places to search for information on the historical and cultural context of a book.
A good place to start research on most any subject. This multi-disciplinary database indexes nearly 8,050 publications and provides full text for nearly 4,600, including more than 3,900 peer-reviewed journals. Access is provided by eLibraryMN (ELM).
Provides the full text of global, regional and local news sources. Coverage ranges from over 40 Minnesota sources to international sources from over 200 countries.
Covers the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Includes hundreds of full-text journals.
JSTOR is a digital library of journals, academic eBooks, images, and primary sources. JSTOR provides book and journal content from the date of initial publication up to a "moving wall" of 3 to 5 years before the present year.
The full text of the New York Times from 1851 to 4 years ago -- covering the entire publishing history of the newspaper back to the first issue. The newspaper text is fully indexed and searchable and the database also contains full-page images, including graphics.
Browse through our list of historical popular magazines. This list is organized by date ranges to help you find the periodicals that would have been active when your book was published. These magazines can give you a glimpse into the top news and pop culture trends from that time period.
You may want to search the library catalog for books with information on the historical and cultural context of your book of choice. Which sources will be useful for you depends, of course, on the setting of your book (time, place, and so forth). For help locating resources related to the context of your book, just ask a librarian.
Example: Let's say that my book of choice is set in the context of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Here are a couple of books that might be useful:
Civil Rights Movements: Past and Present
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