The Sixties in Europe & America: Sources for Historical Analysis

• Case does not matter. Punctuation marks are not needed.
• Keyword searches will likely retrieve something on your subject. This type of search looks in practically all parts of the catalog record, and is the only way to access the data in the Contents Notes field of records. However, if you are not using the terms catalogers use to identify a subject, keyword searches may actually retrieve fewer items than a subject search.
• Subject searches use a controlled vocabulary, bring more consistency to searches and organizing records by subtopics. Library of Congress Subject Headings are used in both the local catalog and in WorldCat. Some subject headings for the 1960s include:
  Nineteen sixties
  Social history -- 1945-
  Social history -- 1960-1970
  United States --History --1961-1969
  United States --History-- 1961-1963
  United States -- History-- 1963-1969
  United States -- Manners and customs -- 1945-1970
  United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989
  United States -- Politics and government -- 1961-1963
  United States -- Politics and government -- 1963-1969
  United States -- Social history -- 1960-1980
  World Politics -- 1955-1965
  World Politics -- 1965-1975
  The chronological subdivisions used for other countries and regions are based on significant events in a country's or region's history. You can browse those subdivisions by using the root headings [Country] -- History.
  Or try a heading for a specific event:
  Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany, 1961-1989
  Czechoslovakia -- History -- Intervention, 1968
  Student movements
  Vietnam War, 1961-1975
• Primary Source Subheadings: There are several subject subheadings used to identify books or other resources that are compilations of primary source material. Look for:

*These subheadings are typically used under Subject Headings for individuals, e.g., Wilson, Woodrow or terms describing groups of people, e.g., Feminists.

• Search country names (or other geographic areas) as subjects. Under country names, you will often find chronological subheadings based on significant events in that country's history, e.g. United States -- History -- 1961-1963. For cultural history, you can also try subheadings such as Civilization, e.g., Europe -- Civilization -- 1945-, Social conditions, e.g. France--Social conditions--1945-1995.
• Identify key participants and publications associated with your topic:
  When looking at reference sources, pick out names of people, organizations, and governmental agencies that were participants, and any publications such as reports, newsletters, magazines, pamphlets, etc. that they produced in conjunction with the events or developments you are researching. Author searches for the key participants (individuals, organizations, agencies or other groups) will retrieve records for materials that were written or produced by them either at the time of the event or later will, in most cases, be primary sources.
  
  More on Subject Searching:
• Catalogers use the most precise subject heading to describe a publication. For instance, a book on France will have France in the subject heading, but not Europe. A book on Europe which contains substantial information on France will have the subject heading Europe, but may not have France as a subject heading.
• Just because an item's subject heading does not include "History" as a subdivision does not mean it has no history in it. In particular, look at the publication date. It may be a source contemporary to the period, i. e., a primary source.
• After finding some sources through searching the online catalog, be sure to browse the shelves near these times. The call numbers are devised to place materials on the same subject together on the shelf. In the catalog, the call number is presented as a link, so you can even browse the shelves when searching the catalog.
• You may also wish to browse the Reference Collection to see what special sources are available. A basic outline of the Library of Congress Classification scheme is at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/