Yonkers High School IB: Finding Materials: Yonkers Public Library

Use your YPL card to log in to the following electronic resources: 

This bibliography is a list of selected materials on civil rights movements available at the Yonkers Riverfront and Will Libraries. Please use the library catalog (www.ypl.org) to find other useful materials in the catalog.

This bibliography is a list of selected materials on slavery available at the Yonkers Riverfront and Will Libraries. Please use the library catalog (www.ypl.org) to find other useful materials in the catalog.

Yonkers Public Library is part of the Westchester Library System (WLS). If you search within the WLS Catalog, you will see many more materials. With your YPL library card, you can check out materials from any library within WLS. The book will be sent to you to pick up at your YPL branch.

Search the WLS Catalog here: https://catalog.westchesterlibraries.org/eg/opac/home

If after searching the WLS Catalog you find that they don't own an item you want, contact YPL and they will try to find it for you: 

Email Mary Robison: mrobison@ypl.org

Email Eileen Fusco: efusco@ypl.org

Call 914-375-7966

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a reference book? You can use reference books to find basic facts and general overviews of topics. They are usually located in the Reference Department of the library and can’t be checked out.

Why use reference books?  To get a better sense of the topic area before beginning research; to check quick facts, such as names, dates, and locations. Unlike the Internet, books don’t suffer technical difficulties!

Types of Reference Materials:

Dictionaries: Brief definitions of words and concepts, either general or within the context of a subject area; arranged alphabetically.

Relevant Dictionaries

• Dictionary of Afro-American slavery (at the Will Library)
• Historical dictionary of the old South [975.03 R]
• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [423 M 2003]

Encyclopedias: Brief discussions of specific topics; generally more detailed than dictionaries. Arranged alphabetically, often with bibliographies at the end of each entry (leading to additional articles/sources).

Relevant Encyclopedias

• African American history [305.896 A]
• Abolition and anti-slavery: historical encyclopedia of the American mosaic [326.8 A]
• Encyclopedia Americana; Encyclopedia.com (online resources available with library card through the Yonkers Public Library)
• Encyclopedia Britannica (at the Will Library)
• Encyclopedia of African American history [305.896 E]
• Encyclopedia of American History [973.03 E 2010]
• Encyclopedia of antislavery and abolition [326.8 E]
• Encyclopedia of the great black migration [307.2 E]
• Encyclopedia of slave resistance and rebellion [306.36 E]
• Enslaved women in America [306.362 E]
• Latin America, history and culture: an encyclopedia for students [980 L]
• MacMillan encyclopedia of world slavery [306.36 M]
• Slavery in the United States: a social, political, and historical encyclopedia [306.36 S 2007]
• World of a slave: encyclopedia of the material life of slaves in the United States [306.36 W 2011]

Atlases: Collections of maps that organize all kinds of information (not just directions) geographically; organized by the principle of the atlas: geographically, chronologically, alphabetically.

Relevant Atlases

• African American atlas: black history and culture—an illustrated reference [305.896 A (11 98)]
• Atlas of African American history [305.896 C 2007]
• Atlas of American history [911.73 N]
• Atlas of Slavery [306.36 W]
• Atlas of the transatlantic slave trade [306 E]
• Chronology of world slavery [306.36 R]
• Rand-McNally Road Atlas [912.7 R 2016]

Directories: Organized lists of people, businesses, organizations or associations, including addresses, telephone numbers, and other contact information. Arranged alphabetically, geographically, or by subject.

Relevant Directories

• Europa world year book [REF 909.82 E 2014] (shelved at reference desk)
• Yellow Pages, White Pages

Almanacs: Often published annually, almanacs contain calendars, facts, statistics, and other miscellaneous information; organized by subject, usually with an extensive index.

Relevant Almanacs

• African American almanac [305.896 B]
• African-American almanac [305.896 R 12 97]
• Almanac of African-American history [305.896 S]
• Historical statistics of black America [305.896 H]
• Statistical record of black America [305.896 S] 
• World Almanac and Book of Facts [317 W]

Biographical Resources: Written accounts of people’s lives, often collected by subject area; usually arranged alphabetically by last name.

Relevant Biographical Resources

• African American biographies [920 A]
• African American national biography [920 A]
• African American lives [920 A]
• African biographical dictionary [920 B]
• Dictionary of American biography [920 D]

Handbooks: Concise guides to specific topics; arranged variously, usually with extensive indexes.

Relevant Handbooks

• The Black New Yorkers: the Schomburg illustrated chronology [305.896 D]
• Brazil: a country study [981 B 1997 (10 98)]
• Cotton and race in the making of America: the human costs of economic power [306.362 D]
• From slavery to freedom: a history of African Americans [306.36 F 2000]
• Guide to New York City landmarks [917.471 G]
• Historical guide to world slavery [306.36 H]
• MLA handbook for writers of research papers [808.02 M 2009]
• Remembering slavery: African Americans talk about their personal experiences of slavery and emancipation [306.36 R]
• Slavery in the United States [306.36 S 2007]

Indexes: Guides to periodical literature like magazines and newspapers; published periodically and arranged alphabetically by subject.

Relevant Indexes

• New York Times Index [070 N, also online through YPL]
• Reader’s guide to periodical literature [050 R]
• Ulrich’s periodicals directory [011.34 U 2015]

Note: At Yonkers Riverfront Library most Print references can be found in the Reference area on the third floor.