HIST 215J The Art of Biography Research Guide: Home

This course guide is intended to assist students in their research projects for the course The Art of Biography (HIST 215J), taught by Professor John Gaddis during Spring term 2025 at Yale University. The selection of resources included in this guide is not intended to be comprehensive.

Library Contacts

Students in HIST 215J should feel free to contact any of the following librarians as a starting point for research assistance with their projects for this course.

Joshua Cochran: Curator for American History and Diplomacy, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - joshua.cochran@yale.edu
James Kessenides: Kaplanoff Librarian for American History, Sterling Memorial Library - james.kessenides@yale.edu
Bill Landis: Teaching Librarian, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - bill.landis@yale.edu
Scott Libson: Special Collections Librarian, Divinity Library Special Collections - scott.libson@yale.edu

Yale Library Search Tools

The main search tools for finding books, articles, databases, archival collections, and more at Yale (and beyond) can all be found on the "Find, Request, and Use" page of the library's website. Here are a few quick refreshers, but be sure to visit the page for a full overview:

Library Catalog
Searches books, e-books, journals (but not individual articles), government documents, and other physical and digital items in the Yale Library and the Lillian Goldman Law Library. Can be used to find both primary and secondary sources.
Quicksearch
A combined search of the Yale Library and Law Library's books, journals and journal articles, licensed databases, digitized archival collections, and more. A vast, Google-like search, but some library materials will still not be retrieved by it, and the advanced search refinements and options to use just one part of Quicksearch or another can be key to running efficient, manageable, and successful searches.
Articles+
Within Quicksearch, Articles+ can be a powerful tool for finding individual journal, newspaper, and magazine articles.
Archives at Yale
The search portal for finding archival materials at Yale. Look for the Scope & Contents notes, inventories, and PDF Finding Aids to assess the relevance of materials to your research project.
Also see the Guide to Using Special Collections at Yale University for more information on finding, requesting, and using archival materials in the Yale Library.
Yale Library Digital Collections
Access to millions of digitized works and images from the Yale Library. This site is a living database, and new materials are added regularly.

HIST 215J The Art of Biography Research Guide: Home

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