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Loyola University Chicago Libraries

History

Locate core research resources in history

HIST 300D: Loyola, Chicago, and the World

This course focuses on primary and secondary source-based research.

All students will contribute to the same larger question: How did Loyola Univeristy participate in and influence important historic developments in the modern world?

How To Read Call Numbers

This is an explanation of how books with Library of Congress call numbers are sorted.  This gives a better understanding of Library of Congress shelving.

  1. The first line is always a letter line and is filed alphabetically.
  2. The second line is a whole number line and is filed numerically.
  3. Sometimes the second line has a decimal and continued on the same line or the third line.  Anytime you see a decimal point, always take each space separately.
  4. Other lines may include volume numbers, copy numbers, dates, or a combination.
  5. No dates come before a date.

Ten Library of Congress call numbers in order on a shelf. On the first line, 'LA' before 'LB'. On the second line, '2327' before '2328'. On the combination letter number line 'B' before 'C'. For the numbers after the letter on the combination line, '.55' before '.554' and '.554' before '.63'. For the last line, '1987' before '1991'.

Database: United States and Canada

Primary-Source Materials at Local Institutions

As a student at Loyola, you have access to a wide range of wonderful library and archival collections in Chicago. These catalogs allow you to search across institutions to locate primary-source materials:

These local research institutions have strong collections of materials on Chicago history and more:

Let me know if you have questions, and enjoy exploring the rare and unique materials at these institutions!

Newspaper Research