LibGuides: MC 202: The Transformation of Vilnius (Garnett): Reference Sources

Background Research

Before you dive into a research paper, it can be a good idea to do some background research. This will help you figure out a topic that is interesting to you, and introduce you to the major players in your particular area.

Many people do background research through sources like Wikipedia or general Google searching. You can also use a variety of specific encyclopedias that are available through the MSU Libraries.

Best Bets for Reference

"Vilnius" entry from the The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe
"Vilna" entry from the Encyclopaedia Judaica
"Vilna" entry from Oxford Bibliographies
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Search "Vilnius" for reference and primary sources

Bibliographies

Oxford Bibliographies Online
Contains these modules:

African American Studies, African Studies, American Literature, Anthropology, Art History, Atlantic History, Biblical Studies, British and Irish Literature, Buddhism, Childhood Studies, Chinese Studies, Cinema & Media Studies, Classics, Communications, Criminology, Ecology, Education, Environmental Science, Evolutionary Biology, Geography, Hinduism, International Law, International Relations, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Latino Studies, Linguistics, Literary & Critical Theory, Management Studies, Medieval Studies, Military History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health, Renaissance and Reformation, Social Work, Sociology, and Victorian Literature.

Encyclopedias

Yivo Encyclopedia of the Jews in Eastern Europe
Article on Vilnius and many many more articles on people and organizations. Plus primary sources!
Encyclopaedia Judaica
see the article on Vilna, and on various personalities and organizations

Modern encyclopedia of Russian and Soviet history
Call Number: MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST DK14 .M6

55 volume authoritative encyclopedia with bibliography. see article on Vilnius.
Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe: from the Congress of Vienna to the fall of communism by Richard Frucht (Editor)
Call Number: MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST DJK6 .E53 2000

Catholic Encyclopedia
published in 1911.
New Catholic Encyclopedia
2nd ed. 2003. See the articles: Lithuania, The Catholic Church in, and Poland, The Catholic Church In
The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women
from the Jewish Women's Archive

US Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia
articles, maps, and media essays provide context
US Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos
important reference if you are focusing on the Vilna/Wilno ghetto and leads to primary sources, Also in library at Call Number: MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST D805.A2 E53 2009

The Yad Vashem Encyclopedia of the Ghettos During the Holocaust
Call Number: MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST D805.A2 Y33 2009

HIstorical Dictionaries and Atlases

Historical Dictionary of Lithuania by Saulius Suziedelis
Publication Date: 2nd ed 2011
Historical Dictionary of Poland
Call Number: ebook and in print

Publication Date: 2nd ed 2003
Poland: A Historical Atlas by Iwo C. Pogonowski
Call Number: G1951.S1 P34 1988 (MAP LIBRARY 2 EAST)

Publication Date: revised ed, 1988

Over 160 maps that cover political, social and Jewish history, linguistic development, and cultural achievement.
The Routledge Atlas of the Holocaust (electronic) by Martin Gilbert
Publication Date: 4th ed 2008

General Reference Sources

Sage Complete Reference Collection
Includes Sage Encyclopedias and Handbooks.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Includes over 200 reference works in the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences.
Oxford Reference Online (Premium Edition)
Contains online versions of dictionaries and encyclopedias previously published in paper by Oxford University Press.