Technological innovation has dramatically changed the way that we use libraries. A generation ago, students conducted research primarily by consulting books, journals, newspapers, and printed reports. They were mostly limited to the material on the shelves.

The explosive growth of the internet has radically altered the information available. The online world presents extraordinary amounts of information; instead of making the most of limited reources, students now must efficiently extract relevant and accurate material from a dizzying array of sources.

This page discusses some of the library resources most commonly utilized by political science students. However, it represents only a starting point. For assistance with specific research projects, consult with a librarian at the research assistance desk (at the back of the first floor, across from the circulation desk).

Note: Most of these databases can only be used from on-campus computers.

Print Resources

Frequently Updated Publications
These publications are published every year or every other year.

Barone, Michael and Grant Ujifuse. The Almanac of American Politics (yr). Washington, DC: National Journal. Biennial. Provides information on governors, senators, and representatives and their records, states and districts. Includes House and Senate committee and subcommittee assignments.
(Ref. JK 1012 .A44 1993)

Book of the States. Lexington, KY: Council of State Governments. Biennial. Provides factual and statistical information on the state governments. (Ref. JK 2403 B6 1994-95)

Congressional Quarterly Almanac. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc. Annual. Published every spring, this source provides information on the annual legislation passed through Congress. (Ref. JK 424 .C66)

Europa Year Book. London: Europe Publications Ltd. Annual. 2 vols. Gives information on international organizations and information on political and social conditions for countries of the world. (Ref. JN 1 .E85 1989)

Executive Office of the President. Budget of the United States Government. Washington, D.C. Office of Management and Budget. Annual. Contains the Budget message of the President and includes a description and analysis of the budget and budget system. (Ref. HJ 2051 .A59)

Historic Documents. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc. Annual. Includes documents of basic importance, a brief introduction to the document and additional information if necessary. (Ref. E 839.5 .H57)

The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources Inc. (Ref. HN 90 .P8G35)

U.S. Bureau of the Census. Statistical Abstract of the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S. GPO. Annual. (Ref. HA 202 S7)

Washington Information Directory. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc. Annual. Includes directory and descriptive information on agencies of the executive branch, Congress and non-governmental organizations in Washington. (Ref. F 192.3 W33).

Recently published reference works

David F. Burg, ed. Encyclopedia of Student and Youth Movements. New York: Facts on File, 1998.

Gorton Carruth, ed. The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates. 10th ed. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.

Richard A. Clucas. Encyclopedia of American Political Reform. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1996.

County and City Extra: Annual Metro, City, and County Data Book. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press, c1992-

Edith R. Hornor, ed. Almanac of the 50 states: Basic Data Profiles with Comparative Tables. 1997 ed. Palo Alto, CA: Information Publications, c1997.

Bruce W. Jentleson and Thomas G. Paterson, eds. Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

John W. Johnson, ed. Historic U.S. Court Cases, 1690-1990: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub., 1992.

Samuel Kotz, ed. Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences. New York: Wiley, 1982. (not recent, but statistical methodology doesn't change much)

George Thomas Kurian, ed. Datapedia of the United States, 1790-2005: America Year by Year 2nd ed. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press, c2001.

Mark S. Littman. A Statistical Portrait of the United States: Social Conditions and Trends. Lanham, Md.: Bernan Press, c1998.

Charles D. Lowery and John F. Marszalek, eds. Encyclopedia of African-American Civil Rights: From Emancipation to the Present. New York: Greenwood Press, 1992.

John Middleton, ed. Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1997. 4 vols

John Allphin Moore, Jr. and Jerry Pubantz, eds. Encyclopedia of the United Nations. New York: Facts On File, c2002.

Reeva S. Simon, Philip Mattar, Richard W. Bulliet, eds. Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, c1996.

Neil Larry Shumsky, ed. Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1998.

Barbara A. Tenenbaum, ed. Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. New York: C. Scribner's Sons ; London: Simon & Schuster: Prentice Hall International, c1996. 5 vols.

Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. 9th ed. Detroit: Gale Research, c1998.

Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale Research, c1998.