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Brief Guide to Literary Resources & Criticism

Introduction

This guide is about initiating literary research and finding literary resources. It does not attempt to be comprehensive; instead it is an introduction to the process. The intended audience is undergraduates, but anyone interested in doing literary research and finding resources will find this guide a useful starting point.

All print sources will be located in the Main University Library. Call numbers will indicate the location of the resource. Most of the print titles will be found in the Reference section, located on the first floor of the Main Library, although some are shelved on Reserve and can be accessed at the Circulation Desk. Call numbers for reference books are preceded with “Ref” and reserve books with “RBR,” while no prefix on the call number indicates the book is shelved in the regular stacks on the second floor. If you have any questions, ask at the Reference Desk. All electronic resources are available from workstations in all three University libraries. To access electronic resources outside the libraries, an individual must have a valid University at Albany identification card and be a registered University at Albany Libraries borrower. To read about remote access, go to Off-Campus Access to Databases and Online Journals.