1. Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
Encyclopedias attempt to summarize the state of knowledge in a field of inquiry. A good encyclopedia can be a valuable starting point for your research.
Two online reference collections that students often find useful are: Credo Reference, and Gale Virtual Reference Library.
- Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone byCall Number: 966.403 F76h2006ISBN: 0810853396Publication Date: 2006
- Historical Dictionary of Ghana byCall Number: 966.7003 M164h2005ISBN: 0810853280Publication Date: 2005
- Historical Dictionary of Civil Wars in Africa byCall Number: 960 Ar64h2008 HPNL ReferenceISBN: 0810857669Publication Date: 2007-11-19
- Colonialism in Africa, 1870-1960 byCall Number: 960 G15c HPNLISBN: 0521073731Publication Date: 1969-1975v. 1. The history and politics of colonialism 1870-1914.--v. 2. The history and politics of colonialism 1914-1960.--v. 3. Profiles of change: African society of Colonial rule, ed by V. Turner.--v. 4. The economics of colonialism, edited by P. Duignan and L. H. Gann.--v. 5. A bibliographical guide to colonialism in sub-Saharan Africa, by P. Duignan and L. H. Gann
- Historical Dictionary of the Gambia byCall Number: 966.5103 G12h2008ISBN: 0810858258Publication Date: 2008
- Historical Dictionary of Nigeria byCall Number: 966.900321 Oy3h 2009ISBN: 0810856158Publication Date: 2009
- New Encyclopedia of Africa byCall Number: 960 ONLINEISBN: 0684314541Publication Date: 2007Online version of the 5 volume original.
- Dictionary of the British Empire and Commonwealth byISBN: 0719556570Publication Date: 1997See also the 2 vol. Historical Dictionary of the British Empire.
- Encyclopedia of African History and Culture byCall Number: Q. 960.03 P146e2005 Undergrad Library ReferenceISBN: 0816051992
- Historical Dictionary of International Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa byCall Number: 341.202567 D373h2002ISBN: 0810842572
- Historical Dictionary of Malawi byCall Number: 968.97003 C8832001ISBN: 0810834812Publication Date: 2001
- Historical Dictionary of Mozambique byCall Number: 967.9003 Az25h2003ISBN: 0810837927Publication Date: 2003
- Historical Dictionary of the British Empire byCall Number: 909.0971241 H627ISBN: 0313279179Publication Date: 1996
- Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon byCall Number: 967.11003 D373H1990ISBN: 0810823705
2. Bibliographies
- Africa: A Guide to Reference Material byCall Number: 016.96 M18a2007ISBN: 0954102932Publication Date: 20072nd ed.
- A Guide to Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles Relating to Africa byCall Number: 016.967 P317GISBN: 0720121671Publication Date: 1993-2 vols.
- Africa BibliographyAnnual bibliography of African Studies. Identifies books, essays, and articles in the social sciences, environmental sciences, humanities, and fine arts. Began as a catalog of publications received by the Edinburgh University Library and the International African Institute. Not useful for identifying government documents. Indexes publications from 1984-present.
- Reference Guide to Africa: A Bibliography of Sources byCall Number: 016.96 K119r2005ISBN: 081085208XPublication Date: 20052nd ed.
- French Colonial Africa: A Guide to Official Sources byCall Number: 016.96609175 W526F Africana ReferenceISBN: 1873836600Publication Date: 1992
- Northern Africa: A Guide to Reference and Information Sources byCall Number: 016.961 Sk62n Reference LibraryISBN: 1563086840Publication Date: 2000
- African Studies Resources at the Center for Research Libraries byCall Number: OnlineList of resources available through the Center for Research Libraries, most of which can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.
- A General Bibliography of the Gambia byCall Number: 016.916651 G14B1979ISBN: 0816181772Publication Date: 1979-Includes multiple supplements bringing the coverage to 1992.
- Bibliography of Imperial, Colonial, and Commonwealth History Since 1600 byCall Number: 016.90971241 B471ISBN: 0199249911Publication Date: 2002Divided into 14 sections by broad subjects (e.g. Gender, Population and Environment, Religion); each section concludes with printed primary sources for that subject.
- Official Publications of Sierra Leone and Gambia byCall Number: 015.664 UN32OPublication Date: 1963
3. Statistics
- International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750-2000 byCall Number: Q. 315 M69i2003ISBN: 0333994124Publication Date: 2003
- International Historical Statistics: Europe, 1750-2000 byCall Number: Q. 314 M69e2003ISBN: 0333994116Publication Date: 2003Population, labor and industry, trade, and so forth. Few of the statistics here begin before 1800. Still, a good overview of the kind of statistical information available.
- EIU Viewpoint: Country Analysis Advanced This link opens in a new windowYearly country profiles with in-depth statistical reports. Online version goes back to 1996. Print reports sometimes cover back to the 1970s (search the Online Catalog for these). Reports include economic forecasts through the year 2030.
4. Atlases
- The New Atlas of African History byCall Number: Q. 911.6 F877NISBN: 0136121519Publication Date: 1991
- The Penguin Historical Atlas of the British Empire byCall Number: 911.171241 D179pISBN: 0141018445Publication Date: 2006
5. Almanacs and Chronologies
- A Political Chronology of Africa byCall Number: 960.0202 P759ISBN: 1857431162Publication Date: 2001
- A Political History of The Gambia, 1816-1994 byCall Number: 966.5102 ONLINEISBN: 1580462308Publication Date: 2006
- African Political Facts since 1945 byCall Number: 320.96 C461A1991ISBN: 0816024189Publication Date: 1991