This guide is intended to assist Global Studies students in developing their research. Resources are organized by geographic area as well as by thematic areas that align with the LAS Global Studies degree program's concentrations. Students should look into the thematic resources for more general, globally focused resources and go to the geographic area resources for resources about a certain country or in a foreign language. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of Global Studies, there are links to other libraries' resources and students should explore all that the various libraries have to offer.
The International and Area Studies Library curates a collection of materials that consist of nearly 2 million volumes in over 150 languages. Collections are focused on African Studies; East Asian Studies; European Union Studies; Global Studies; Latin American and Caribbean Studies; Middle East and North African Studies; Russian East European, and Eurasian Studies; and South Asian Studies. The combined expertise and research collections of the IASL constitutes one of the campus’ gateways to information and scholarship related to area, international, and global studies, connecting students and scholars to the knowledge crucial to developing global competencies through the study of distinct nations and regions, as well as transnational issues and global concerns. The IASL faculty and staff marshal their expertise and the resources of the Library to support its mission by delivering international reference services; engaging the campus community; publishing original research, developing resources and media; teaching; and developing world class collections. The IASL works closely with the Center for Global Studies to provide students with the resources they need to succeed.
To ask a question or schedule an appointment, please email us at ias@library.illinois.edu or complete a contact form. Each Resources by Geographic Area section in this guide lists that area's librarian. Do not hesitate to contact a librarian if you get stuck and need research help! Assisting students is our job. For simpler and more general questions, we recommend talking to library staff through the Ask A Librarian chat module on the library homepage.
Steve Witt
Global Studies Librarian
311 Main Library
MC-402 (Campus Mail Code)
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 265-7518 | swwitt@illinois.edu