Reference tools such as indexes, directories, bibliographies, guides, encyclopedias and atlases are generally found in a reference area where many people can refer to general information. Items found in reference areas cannot be checked out of the library.

Occasionally other copies of reference-type items can be found in the circulating collection for you to check out.

To find Electronic books in Voyager which can be read online from home, try a search using general terms and adding a Quick Limit of E-Books. You will need to view the record for the book to click on the link to the website that hosts the book. To view from home you will need passwords which can be found with the passwords for online databases available from the librarians.

Some videos may be found in Voyager, the online catalog, to be checked out. First select a Quick Limit of Videorecordings, then do a keyword search for American History or a term from above.

You may also view videos inhouse from the Instructional Media Collection. Search Medianet for American History or a term from above.

AMDOCS - Online Documents for the Study of History: http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/docs/amdocs_index.html
American History Bibliography: http://cas.memphis.edu/~mcrouse/4620bibl.html
American History Guide - Yale University: http://www.library.yale.edu/rsc/american/
American History Internet Links: http://www.mvrhs.org/netsite/School/departments/social/johnson/apushistory
/apushistory/WebPrimarySource/WEBPSDIndex.htm
American Presidents Life Portraits (CSPAN programs): http://www.americanpresidents.org/presidents/yearschedule.asp
American Rhetoric Top 100 Speeches: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/newtop100speeches.htm
Bald Eagle - An American Emblem: http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle9.html
Black History: http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/
American Memory - 7 million digital items from the Library of Congress: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/
Capitol Building: http://www.aoc.gov/
Capitol Building Virtual Tour: http://www.senate.gov/vtour/
Civil Rights Era: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9.html
Civil Rights Movement Historic Sites: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/index.htm
Civil War: http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/war/
Civil War to Present - Biographies & Photos: http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/bios.html
Civil War to Present - Online Books: http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/guide/guide.html
Digital History: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
Eras in American History: http://www.u-s-history.com/eras.html
FirstGov - U.S. Official Web Portal: http://www.firstgov.gov/
First Nations Histories- Brief Description of Indian Tribes: http://www.tolatsga.org/Compacts.html
Flag of the United States: http://www.usflag.org/toc.html
Foundational Documents of the US: http://www.diodon349.com/Site_Main_Pages/foundations_of_the_united_states.htm
Founders Constitution--constitutional history: http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/
From Revolution to Reconstruction - online texts & documents: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/
Historical Documents (Thomas): http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdoxmainpg.html
Historical Documents Online: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/mdbquery.html
National Archives (go to site index to select documents): http://www.archives.gov/welcome/index.html
Native American Home Pages Links: http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/nations.html
Native American Websites: http://www.jammed.com/~mlb/nawbt.html
Outline of American History - Online Text: http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/history/toc.htm
Pearl Harbor interactive: http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/
Presidential Elections from 1796: http://www.presidentelect.org/e1796.html
Reconstruction Era: http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/reconstruction/
States and Capitals: http://www.50states.com/
Thomas Legislative Documents on the Internet: http://thomas.loc.gov/
United States Factbook from the CIA: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html
US Information: http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/homepage.htm
UShistory.org congress of websites: http://ushistory.org/
Using Web Resources: http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/
US Historical Documents: http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/
Vietnam Online (PBS): http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/
Vietnam Overview (Vassar): http://vietnam.vassar.edu/overview.html
Virtual Library (Kansas Univ.)--American West: http://www.ku.edu/kansas/west/
Virtual Library (Kansas Univ.)--Gilded Age: http://www.ku.edu/kansas/gilded/
Virtual Library (Kansas Univ.)--Radicalism & Reform: http://www.ku.edu/kansas/us-rad/
Virtual Library (Kansas Univ.)--Revolutionary period: http://www.ku.edu/kansas/rev/
Virtual Library (Kansas Univ.)--The South: http://www.ku.edu/kansas/us-south/
The West: http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/index_cont.htm
Westward Expansion: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/westward.html
Women in American History: http://search.eb.com/women/nineteenth01.html

While you are writing your paper, there is an online subject guide, Writing Tips, with links to online help for organizing and formulating your paper, and finding online dictionaries and citation tools.

There is also a Writing Center at both campuses to help you with the fundamentals of your paper, for information call the Writing Center: at LAC (562) 938-4520 and at PCC: (562) 938-3991.