Finding Ethnographies in the Library
Due to the wide range of topics, subject areas, and geographic regions covered in ethnographies, these books are shelved throughout the library's print book collection. For example, ethnographies can be in cataloged in subjects areas such as Religion (B), Social Sciences (H), Music (M), or Medicine (RA). Ethnographies may also be found in our e-book collections. Kenyon's library does not store all of its ethnographies together in one section of our shelves.
Taking a few minutes to research authors (anthropologists), books (ethnographies), or subjects can save you a lot of time in the long run.
The library's book collection is housed on Lower Levels 1 and 2 in Chalmers Library. (building map)
Where to Begin?
Reference books can be helpful if you don't know where to begin. If you find a topic or subject of interest, check the bibliography for the title of an ethnography, the name of an anthropologist, or see if the author of the encyclopedia's article has written an ethnography.
Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life by Call Number: EbookISBN: 0787605522Also available in Print on the KEN Main shelves GN333 .W67 1998
Encyclopedia of Anthropology by Call Number: KEN Main GN11 .E63 2006ISBN: 0761930299Use this resource to find topics that may be studied in enthnographies. May have useful bibliographies.
Biographical Dictionary of Social and Cultural Anthropology by Call Number: EbookISBN: 0415223792Use this resource to find the names of anthropologists who may have published ethnographies.
Fifty Key Anthropologists by Call Number: KEN Main GN20 .F54 2011ISBN: 9780415461054Use this resource to find the names of anthropologists who may have published ethnographies.
The Routledge Dictionary of Anthropologists by Call Number: KEN Main GN20 .G3513 2004ISBN: 0415228255Use this resource to find the names of anthropologists who may have published ethnographies.
International Dictionary of Anthropologists by Call Number: KEN Main GN20 .I5 1991ISBN: 0824050940Use this resource to find the names of anthropologists who may have published ethnographies.
Strategies for Finding an Ethnography
1. Think about your interests:
- Is there an area of world that intrigues you?
- Have you traveled somewhere and want to learn more about the local people in that area?
- Do you want to learn more about a specific custom or culture?
2. Encyclopedias and other reference books can be helpful if you don't know where to begin. If you find a topic or subject of interest, check the bibliography for the title or author of an ethnography, or see if the author of the encyclopedia's article has written an ethnography.
3. Search the library's catalog, CONSORT, using Keywords (your search terms/words), the Title of a specific book, or the name of an Author (last name, first name).
4.Using Library of Congress Subject Headings may also be helpful. Every item in the library's catalogs is categorized by a subject. Subjects Headings are controlled vocabulary terms which use simple terms to define a topic or subject. Examples of relevant subject headings, in CONSORT and OhioLINK (the catalogs), for ANTH 113, include:
- Aleuts -- Social Life and Customs
- Indians of South America -- Peru -- Social Life and Customs
- Mbuti (African people)
- Kafr al Ilw, Egypt -- Social conditions
- Villages -- India -- Case Studies
5.If you choose to browse the shelves of the library's collection, it is helpful to be familiar with the Library of Congress Classification Scheme:
- Class G: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
- GN301-674: Ethnology. Social and Cultural Anthropology
- GT1-7070: Manners and Customs
- Class D: World History and History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc.
- Class E: History of the Americas
- Class F: History of the Americas
Locating a Specific Book
The CONSORT catalog can be used to locate books (and other materials such as videos, sound recordings, government documents, and special collections materials) available in the Kenyon, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, and the College of Wooster libraries. Items requested from the other CONSORT colleges typically arrive in about 3-5 days.
Kenyon students also have access to OhioLINK, the combined catalog college and university libraries throughout Ohio. Books requested through OhioLINK may take up to a week to be delivered.
WorldCat is a catalog of library holdings throughout the United States and the world. It contains records for many types of materials: books, sound recordings, video recordings, manuscripts, etc.
You must use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to request items not available via CONSORT or OhioLINK. Delivery time will vary depending on the location of the material. Some requests may take up to 6 weeks.
