Guides: Literature: Resources

Databases for Literature Research

Literary Reference Center Plus This link opens in a new window
A Literary full-text database of books, literary encyclopedias and reference titles, and literary journals covering all genres and timeframes. A good tool for researching an author or an author's work.
Literature Criticism Online This link opens in a new window
Literature Criticism Online is designed to provide easy access to excerpts from criticism of the works of today's Novelists, Poets, Playwrights, Short Story Writers, Scriptwriters, & Other Creative Writers.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Bibliography of journal articles, books and dissertations dating back to 1963 for research in all aspects of modern languages and literature.
Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive coverage of American literary history from the 1600s to the present day. Includes individual authors and detailed histories of particular themes, movements and genres.
Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive coverage of literature covering the entire history of literature in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Includes individual authors and detailed histories of particular themes, movements, genres, and institutions.
Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
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Full text scholarly journal database covering the fields of literature and criticism, history, visual and performing arts, cultural studies, and other social sciences.

Websites for Literature Research

Gale Cengage Literary Index
Author search: Find which Gale literature series include entries on an author.
Title search: Search for the title of a literary work to see who wrote it and/or where it's discussed in Gale's literature criticism series.
JSTOR
Free access to public domain articles and ebooks. By registering for a MyJSTOR account, you can also read three articles every two weeks from JSTOR subscription service databases.
Purdue OWL - Writing in Literature
These resources will help you write about literature and poetry. This section contains resources on literary terms, literary theory and schools of criticism, as well as resources on writing book reviews.
Shmoop Learning Guides
Educational materials to help students understand a variety of topics. Includes Literature, Literary Criticism, Shakespeare, and more.

Library Catalog

Book Search Tips

Sample Searches for books about Literature

Literature -- Philosophy

Comparative Literature

To BROWSE shelves, look in these LC call number ranges:

PN 1 - 6790 Literature (General)

PR 1 - 9680 English literature

PR 2750 - 3108 Shakespeare

PS 1 - 3576 American literature

Books for Literature Research

Classical Literature by Richard Jenkyns
Call number: PA3001 .J46
Publication date: 2016
The Norton Anthology of Western Literature by Heather James (Editor); Sarah Lawall (Editor); Lee Patterson (Editor); Patricia Meyer Spacks (Editor); William G. Thalmann (Editor)
Call Number: PN6014 .N66
Publication Date: 2005
How Literature Works by John Sutherland
Call Number: PN44.5 .S88
Publication Date: 2011

Salem Press Online This link opens in a new window
Access for Salem Press eBook titles.

Reference Sources for Literature Research

Arts and Humanities Through the Eras
Online
Oxford Reference - Literature
Online

Look for these GALE publications in the reference section at the Todd Library, Sugar Grove:

Contemporary Literary Criticism PN771.C59 (also available online in the Literature Criticism Online database)
Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism PN771.G27 (also available online 2016-present in the Literature Criticism Online database)
Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism PN761.N56 (also available online 2016-present in the Literature Criticism Online database)
Dictionary of Literary Biography PN451.D5