Selecting the best or most appropriate finding aid for identifying sources depends almost entirely on the context of your research assignment. There is no single database or web search interface that will work for every research context; instead, you'll need to match your specific research needs to a variety of options.
Library catalog searches (i.e., Primo) can be the better choice when you are seeking in-depth, book-length treatments of a topic.
Multidisciplinary databases (i.e., JSTOR) can be the most appropriate choice when you just want to get a sense of what's available on a topic and when it isn't so important that you pay attention to disciplinary lenses.
Subject databases (i.e., Historical Abstracts) are the best choice for identifying the widest range of sources on a topic within a specific academic discipline. Recommended subject databases for each discipline can be found on the "articles" page in each library subject guide.
Collins Library uses the Library of Congress classification scheme to organize books on the shelves. Follow these tips to find the book you need.
Example:
Use the library map to find where the book is located.
A sampling of potentially relevant books is listed below. Some titles available in print and in online format.
Dawn of the Belle Epoque: the Paris of Monet, Zola, Bernhardt, Eiffel, Debussy, Clemenceau, and their friends by 
Twilight of the Belle Epoque: the Paris of Picasso, Stravinsky, Proust, Renault, Marie Curie, Gertrude Stein, and their friends through the Great War by 
The Third Republic from Its Origins to the Great War, 1871-1914 by 
Heroes and Legends of Fin-de-Siécle France: gender, politics, and national identity by 
France, 1814-1940 by 
A Social History of France in the 19th Century by 
The Boulanger Affair Reconsidered: royalism, Boulangism, and the origins of the radical right in France by 
Massacre: the life and death of the Paris Commune by 
City of Light the making of modern Paris by 
Eiffel's Tower: the thrilling story behind Paris's beloved monument and the extraordinary World's Fair that introduced it by 
Felix Feneon, Aesthete and Anarchist in fin-de-siècle Paris by 
Modernity and Modernism: French painting in the nineteenth century by 
The Studios of Paris: the capital of art in the late nineteenth century by 
Spectacular Realities: early mass culture in fin-de-siècle Paris by 
Bourgeois Consumption: food, space and identity in London and Paris, 1850-1914 by 
The Beast in the Boudoir: petkeeping in nineteenth-century Paris by 
Fashioning the Bourgeoisie: a history of clothing in the nineteenth century by 
The Bon Marché: bourgeois culture and the department store, 1869-1920 by 
Popular Bohemia: modernism and urban culture in nineteenth-century Paris by 
Mastering the Marketplace: popular literature in nineteenth-century France by 
Blood in the City: violence and revelation in Paris, 1789-1945 by 
City of Noise: Sound and Nineteenth-Century Paris by Online Collections:
The Third Republic in France 1870-1940 by Print Collections:
France and the Dreyfus Affair: a documentary history by 
The Dreyfus Affair: "J'accuse" and other writings by France: Empire and Republic, 1850-1940: historical documents by My secret diary of the Dreyfus case, 1894-1899 by These e-journal collections provide access to many journals in the humanities, but they are more limited in coverage compared to subject databases. In most cases, it's better to search subject databases to identify articles, and then search the journal title in Primo to link to the materials in these e-journal collections.
Try these strategies to become a better, more efficient searcher -- and help you find articles that you can actually use:
If your article is not available at Collins Library, you've got another option for getting it. Use Tipasa, our interlibrary loan service.
Tipasa is linked to your library account so you'll need to log in to use it.
Once you are logged in, either go directly to Tipasa and manually enter the information, or, if you're using a database, look for a shortcut link to automatically fill out the form:
Allow at least a week for the article to come. If your article is delivered in electronic format, you'll receive an email with a link to follow as soon as it's arrived.
