One very easy way to start your research is to look in an encyclopedia that will provide an overview of basic background information on a topic. For example, Wikipedia is an excellent place to get background information. See the WIKIPEDIA guide of more.
eLibrary is an online database paid for by the Library, contains several encyclopedias and almanacs in its Reference section.
Vogue Archive is a resource is perfect for historical research because it has every issue completely available going back to the late 1800s, including ads, articles, etc. All searchable by key word and date range.
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Browsing through these books and websites can be extremely helpful to you in learning about the cultural, social, and historical context of a particular time or period.
20th Century Day by Day by
Perfect for students, researchers, history buffs, and anyone curious about the people, places, and events of the last 100 years, 20th Century Day by Day is both the ultimate guide to humankind's most tragic and triumphant century and a perfect millennium gift and keepsake. Featuring thousands of great color and black-and-white illustrations and text written in a lively, journalistic "you are there" style, this special millennium edition of a classic reference work features coverage updated through 1999 and a dazzling new jacket.
American Decades, 1900-, 1910-, 1920, 1930-. 1940-, 1950-, 1960-, 1970-, 1980- by
Books for each decade from 1900-1990. Intended as a reference source for American social history, each volume discusses the people, events and ideas of the period. After an introductory overview and chronology, subject chapters follow with subject-specific timelines and alphabetically arranged entries.
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