Library Resources for European History

Cold War Project


Reference books can provide an overview of a period, as well as key facts, names, and dates:
  • REF 902 MER   Chronicle of the World [a chronicle usually means a year-by-year listing of - or articles about - important events]
  • REF 909.82 CIM Encyclopedia of Conflicts since World War II (4v.) - includes Cold War conflicts
  • REF 909.82 DAN   Chronicle of the 20th century [world events]
  • REF 909.82 HOD   People's Century [ordinary men and women who made the 20th century]
  • REF 909.82 NEW   The New York Times Great Stories of the Century [facsimile of Times articles]
  • REF 909.82 TAY   Purnell's History of the 20th century, vols. 8,9,10 [excellent essays on important issues of the time]
  • REF 910 GRO   Lands & People Spec.Ed: The Changing Face of Europe - Timeline from 1945-95; A-Z articles on countries, events, people 
  • REF 912 OXF   Oxford Atlas of World History [historical maps, of course, but also chronology & 2 page essay with maps on Cold War]
  • REF 920   Encyclopedia of World Biography
  • REF 973.9 COL   Columbia Guide to the Cold War [strong US focus but does have chronology and short bio section for major players]
Images & Multimedia
  • LIFE - The library has old issues of Life from 1937-1961. It's a great source for photographs of world events & people in the news, as well as for getting the feel of a decade. Main coverage is USA but also has events in Europe and around the world.
  • Cold War Files  web site (link below) has a "Multimedia" section; History Resource Center database has a "Maps & Multimedia" tab.
  • Historical New York Times (Proquest) may also include photographs. [Note: newspapers used to have many fewer photographs]
  • The Wikipedia article "Public domain images" has links to web sites that have images.
  • APimages - Read-only trial access to database of news photos from early 1900s to the present. Email librarian for URL & login info
Tips for finding Books and Videos using the Online Catalog:
  • The Library's catalog (or OPAC) is available at home or at school; go to Current Students web page, click on Library | Online Catalog
  • Using the "Power Search" on the Catalog allows you to search on combinations of keywords and is the most efficient way to search for books.
  • Some useful search terms: Cold War; Communism--Europe; Europe--History--1945-   ; 1940s; 1950s; 1960s; 1970s;
Chapin Databases:
  • History Resource Center: David Alger Memorial History Resource Page -- World section contain reference and journal articles on various topics in world history.
  • Proquest covers a wide range of general & subject magazines but has very few full-text articles before 1992. To see primary source articles from the 1940s-1980s, search the Historical NY Times part of Proquest.
Web Sites:
  • Library of Congress - Revelations from the Russian Archives - Documents (including photographs) about the Soviet Union from 1917-1991.
  • Cold War Files - Primary documents, multimedia, info on events and people, links to selected web sites - produced by Cold War International History Project, part of a research institute in Washington DC.
Bibliography Help:
  • For tips and examples of MLA bibliography format for print and online sources, see Current Students > Library > US  > MLA Style for Bibliographies.
  • For a simplified format for citing images, see Current Students > Library > MS > Citing Images.

Compiled by Ms. Lutz, 18 May 2007