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Finding Your Way in the Harvard University Library
The Harvard University Library is actually an organization of more than ninety libraries supporting research throughout Harvard University. The Harvard Libraries site is a gateway to the resources in the libraries, the archives, and to the more than 6,000 electronic resources to which the Harvard Libraries subscribe.
The libraries where you will find the most materials for this course are:
and
With so many different libraries located in various buildings around campus, starting research in the Harvard College Library can feel like entering a maze. If you're wondering how to find what you need, visit a guide written just for first-time library users called Threading the Maze.
For additional library information and locations, consult the Harvard University Library Map/Guide. For the hours of the college libraries, see the HCL Library Hours page.
To get most books and journal articles in any of these libraries, you will need to find the call number (also known as the classification number) for each book or journal and then locate it in the library stacks. You can find the call number for almost all books and journals owned by Harvard libraries in HOLLIS, the online library catalog (see Finding Books and Finding Articles below for details). For information on locating books and journals on the shelves in Widener Library, please consult How to find books in the stacks.
To find what you need in a hurry, schedule a consultation!
Getting a Harvard PIN (Personal Identification Number)
It is important to have a Harvard PIN (Personal Identification Number) in order to use the library and its resources.
One reason you will need a PIN is for requesting library materials from the Harvard Depository. The Harvard Depository is a storage facility located 20 miles from Harvard Yard. When you look for a book in HOLLIS, the availability screen will tell you if a book is in the Harvard Depository. If it is, then you can click the "request" link, enter your Harvard ID number and PIN, click send request and then the book will be delivered to the Circulation Desk for pick-up by the next business day.
Another reason a PIN is necessary is that some networked electronic library resources are available to you only through a subscription paid for by the Harvard libraries. When you use these resources outside a Harvard library, you will be asked to enter your Harvard ID number and PIN.
If you do not yet have a Harvard PIN and would like to use these library resources outside of a library, go to the Harvard University PIN Administration Site.
Reference Resources
Use Reference books and databases to find factual information or background information on your topic. Don't be tempted to use Google or Wikipedia to start your research. While these sources can sometimes lead you to correct information, the information found there is NOT always reviewed by experts in Celtic Studies (i.e. not scholarly) and it is NOT acceptible in this course to cite these sources in your bibliographies. If you have any questions about information you find via online sources, talk to Elizabeth Gray.
Guides to Reference Works
- Folklore and Folklife: A Guide to English-Language Reference Sources. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room, RR 4791.12
Handbooks, Dictionaries, and Encyclopedias
- Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase and Fable. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room, RR 3724.56
- Encyclopaedia
Britannica
- The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room, RR 4807.20
- Dictionary
of Celtic Mythology
(via Oxford Reference Online)
- Encyclopedia of Folk Heroes. Widener Library Stacks WID-LC GR35.24 2001
- Encyclopedia of Ireland. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room, RR 3724.20
- Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room, RR 4791.22.1; Lamont Library, Reference Room, REF ROOM GR35.F8
- Larousse Dictionary of World Folklore. Widener Library Stacks, WID-LC GR 35.J664 2995; Lamont Library, Reference Room, REF ROOM GR35 .J664 1995
- Myth, Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition. Widener Library, Stacks, WID-LC GR 153.5.0.16 1991
Type- and Motif- Indexes
- Cross, Tom Peete. Motif-Index of Early Irish Literature. Widener Library, Stacks, 25212.101 vol.7, Lamont Library GR 67 .C7 1969.
- Thompson, Stith. Motif-Index of Folk Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books and Local Legends. 6 vols. Widener Library, Loker Reading Room RR 4791.25 (Also available on CD-ROM, ask at the Reference Desk, but not easier to use.)
- Thompson, Stith and Aarne, Antti. The Types of the Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography. Widener Library, Stacks 25237.37 no.184
Primary Sources (Irish Tales and Stories)
Early Tales
- Cross, Tom Peete and Slover, Clark Harris. Ancient Irish Tales. Widener Library, Stacks, Celt 933.10.5
- Meyer, Kuno. The Death-Tales of the Ulster Heros. Widener Library, Harvard Depository, Request via HOLLIS
Finn Tales
- Murphy, Gerard. "Duanaire Finn, II, III." Irish Texts Society. Nos. 28 and 43. Widener Library, Stacks, Celt 804.7
- Rolleston, T.W. The Adventures of Finn Mac Cumhal and other Tales of Ancient Ireland. Widener Library, Harvard Depository, Request via HOLLIS
Place-Name Stories (Dindshenchas)
- Stokes, Whitley. "The Prose Tales in the Rennes Dindshenchas", Revue Celtique, v. 15 (1894) 272 ff. and v. 16 (1985) 31 ff. Widener Library, Stacks, Celt 117.1 v. 15 and v. 16
Finding Books and Your Reserve List
Use the HOLLIS Classic Catalog to find your reserve list and to discover additional research materials on Irish mythology.
Your Reserves Reading List
A selection of books have been placed on reserve at Lamont Library for you to consult for your paper assignments. To view the whole list, go to the Celt S-110 course page, enter your Harvard ID and PIN, and then click on the Reserves List Page on the left hand side menu bar.
Click on HOLLIS Record in the results list to get the call number of the book, then, go to the Circulation Desk at Lamont Library to request it. You'll be able to borrow the book for 3 hours at a time. This process ensures that everyone in the class will have equal access to the books that are the most relevant to this course.
Finding Books with simple searching
To find books in the Harvard libraries, go to the HOLLIS Catalog. The HOLLIS Catalog is also accessible via the Harvard Libraries site: click on
in the upper-left. Once you're in HOLLIS,
the first page allows the following basic ways to search:
- Choose the Search Type: Title Beginning with... if you
know the exact title or the beginning of the title.
For example: folktales of the irish coast
- or choose the Search Type: Author (last name, first name, initital)
if you know at least the author's last name and first initial.
For example: ford patrick k
- or choose the Search Type: Keywords anywhere if you
are looking for a topic but don't know an exact subject heading
For example: cu chulainn or cuchulain
Finding Books with Expanded Search
-
Click on Expanded Search for more search options and limiters. Use this
feature to look for primary resources like tales and epics in Irish Literature.
-
In the Select Keywords from: box, choose from the drop-down menu.
For example: Choose Subject words, then type: Irish Literature
The results are many, so you'll want to be more specific. Click the
button in the top right hand corner of the screen. From here type in additional
keywords. Tip: use the term "or" to
search for a word and its synonyms.For example: epic or tale or tales or cycle, then click
again.
- Use ? to truncate search words: myth?
- Use the word "or" to create a search for a term with variant spellings: fionn or finn
- Put “” around words to search them as a phrase: “irish mythology”.
- Click on Print/Save/Send when you are looking at a record in order to e-mail search results to yourself.
- When you find a relevant book in HOLLIS click on any subject headings listed on the screen to find more books on that topic: Epic Literature, Irish
General Tips for using the HOLLIS Catalog
Finding Articles
To find journal articles, you'll need to consult journal indexes and
databases. The first step is to determine which databases or databases
to use. Some databases are subject specific and some have general resources.
The
symbol indicates that you need a Harvard ID and PIN to access the full-text
online outside of the library.
Indexes and Article Databases
Academic
Search Premier (ASP)
ASP will help you find magazine and journal articles on a variety
of topics. ASP includes citations, abstracts and full-text from over 4,500
scholarly publications (journals, magazines and newspapers).
CSANA Bibliography
Produced by the Celtic Studies Association of North American, this index includes a broad range of materials, including journal articles relevant to the study of Celtic languages and literatures.
Historical
Abstracts
This index covers the history of the world from 1450 to the present (excluding
the United States and Canada, which are covered in America: History and
Life). Currently over 2,000 journals published throughout the world are
covered in the database, including key historical journals from virtually
every major country. All abstracts are written in English. In addition
to articles, Historical Abstracts includes citations to historical books
and to abstracts of dissertations completed worldwide of particular interest
for historical research.
MLA
International Bibliography
This database consists of bibliographic records pertaining to literature,
language, linguistics, and folklore, and includes coverage from 1963 to
the present. The MLA International Bibliography provides access to scholarly
research in over 3,000 journals and series. It also covers relevant monographs,
working papers, proceedings, bibliographies, and other formats.
Tip: MLA and ASP are part of a group of databases hosted by EBSCO Host, can be searched together with just one search. From the MLA or ASP search page, click the
tab at the top of the page. Check the boxes next to the databases you want to search and click Continue.
Search example: Choose MLA and ASP. Search: myth* and Irish
Selected Celtic Studies Journals
To find the holding and location information for these journals, go to
the HOLLIS catalog, click the
Journals link at the top of the page, then type the name
of the journal in the browse search box or click on the 
link below.
If the title below is underlined, then it links to the full-text of the
journal, although only certain years will be available. Follow the link
to find out what years are available. The
symbol indicates that you need a Harvard ID and PIN to access the full-text
online outside of the library.
Canadian Journal of Irish Studies
Celtica
Eigse: A Journal of Irish Studies
Eriu
Irish Review
Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium
Revue Celtique
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