Research Guides: HIS271H5: US History, Colonial Era to 1877: Finding Books

☆ Use Bibliographies ☆

To find quality resources for your paper, it is useful to use bibliographies of scholarly books and articles.

★ Bibliography in scholarly publications is a list of books, articles, and other references that authors have used in preparing their publications/research. The alternative name to Bibliography can be References, Selected Readings, Works Cited, etc. The list consists of primary and secondary, published and unpublished, manuscripts, letters, papers, archives, and so forth. Look at the list of references in your textbooks and assigned course readings.

★ Footnotes in books and journal articles may to the sources used by the author to support the discussion in the publication. Search for them in the UT LibrarySearch. (See the LibrarySearch Tips page.)

★ Reference sources may contain citations to other publications and/or primary material. Look under the Background Information or Foundations, Foundational Resources tab. For example, Oxford Bibliographies Online has annotated bibliographies complied by scholars in the field. Identify the useful titles, then search for them in the UT LibrarySearch.

How to Find and Download Ebooks (YouTube Videos)

☆ How to Find and Download an Ebook in LibrarySearch

☆ How to Find and Download Readings from the ProQuest Ebook Central Platform

Suggested E-Book Platforms

The UT LibrarySearch allows us to search and find print and electronic books, including books published by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Routledge. You can also go to their online libraries to find their e-books: For example,

Cambridge Core
Oxford Academic
Books from Oxford Scholarship Online, Oxford Handbooks Online, and Very Short Introductions have migrated to Oxford Academic.
de Gruyter
Edinburgh University Press, Academic Studies Press, Columbia University Press, Cornell University Press, Fordham University Press, Gorgias Press, Harvard University Press, Medieval Institute Publications, New York University Press, Princeton University Press, Rutgers University Press, Stanford University Press, University of California Press, University of Hawaii Press, University of Pennsylvania Press, Yale University Press, ISEAS Publishing, and more.
Scholars Portal Books
This online library includes university press collections: Chicago University Press and Canadian University Presses (University of Toronto Press, McGill-Queen’s University Press, University of British Columbia Press, University of Manitoba Press, and more)
Taylor and Francis Online: Routledge Books
For Routledge Handbooks, visit Routledge Handbooks Online (a separate website).

For the complete list of e-book platforms and collections, visit the Ebook platforms and collections page.

Find a Book by Title

Note that some items that you might think of as 'books' are mistakenly classified as 'government documents' in LibrarySearch (we are working on this known issue). If you feel certain that we should have an item, but you aren't finding it using the method described in this video, then try using the 'Government Documents' heading from the 'Format' dropdown menu instead of 'Books.'

How to Find a Print Copy

Intercampus Delivery Service

There are 40 libraries at the University of Toronto, and you have access to all the resources. Because we share the resources and because multiple print copies are not necessary in the UofT library system, you may realize that the UTM Library does not have the book that you are looking for. When the UTM Library does not have it, you can request a book and pick it up at the UTM Library.

Watch the video below to learn the quick and easy steps:

Books are delivered to the UTM Library every Tuesday and Friday. Note that it will take more than three business days depending on our staff capacity.

Interlibrary Loan Delivery: RACER

UofT students are able to borrow books that other academic libraries for free. Please take advantage of our service!