GE 111 D: Film Narrative
A Guide to Library Resources

Fall 2007

Reference Collection | Catalog | Indexes and Databases
Internet Resources | Interlibrary Loan
Citation Guides

Reference Collection

The reference collection provides background reading on your topic and related issues, names of authorities, and bibliographies that lead to additional sources. Remember that books on the shelves are grouped together by subject, so take time to browse the shelves!

FILM/LITERATURE:

The Film Encyclopedia [RR PN1993.45 .K34 2001]

100 Years of American Film [RR PN1993.5.U6 A59 2000]

The Political Companion to American Film [RR PN1995.9.P6 P66 1994]

The Columbia Companion to American History on Film: How the Movies Have Portrayed the American Past [RR PN1995.9.U64 C65 2003]

The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States 6v. [RR PN1998 .A57 1988]

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers 4v. [RR PN1997.8 .I58 2000]

World Film Directors 2v. [RR PN1998.2 .W67 1987]

The Filmmaker's Handbook  [RR TR850 .P541999]

Encyclopedia of Movie Special Effects [RR TK858 .N48 2000]

Feature Films, 1940-194: A United States Filmography [RR PN1993.5.U6 F456 1994]

The Encyclopedia of Hollywood [RR PN1993.5.U6 S494 1990]

Contemporary Literary Criticism [RR PN771 .C59; v. 1- 1973-] Critical evaluations of modern literature up to the most current commentaries. Includes bibliographies and, in many cases, interviews with autors. See vols. 20 and 80 for critical coverage on Orson Welles.

Contermporary Authors. [RR PN451 .C6] See vol. 93-96 for biographical treatment on Orson Welles. For on-line access, see Contemporary Authors.

HISTORY/POPULAR CULTURE:

American Decades [RR E169.12 .A419 1994] See v. 5:  1940-1950.

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture 5v. [RR E169.1 .S764 2000]

Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History 3v. [RR E169.1 .E624 2001]

Dictionary of American History 10v. [RR E174 .D52 2003]

BIOGRAPHY:

Current Biography v.1- 1940- [RR CT100 .C97]

American National Biography 24v. [RR CT213 .A68 1999]

---

Catalog

Bridge catalogs resources available at St. Olaf and Carleton libraries. Use Bridge to search for books and periodicals, but not chapters within books or articles within periodicals.

You may request materials housed at Carleton directly from Bridge by clicking on the "Request" button.

---

Indexes and Databases

Unlike our on-line catalog, which searches for journal titles and book titles, indexes and databases allow you to search for articles within journals and essays or chapters within books. Some are interdisciplinary, i.e. they include sources from many different disciplines or fields, some are disciplinary, i.e. specialized in a particular subject. Information on all of the indexes is available from the Libraries' Home Page, under " Electronic Research Tools: Articles, Indexes, Encyclopedias & More... "

For help distinguishing between popular and trade magazines and academic journals, see the guide from Colorado State Univeristy Libraries at http://manta.library.colostate.edu/howto/poplr.html

Interdisciplinary:

Academic Search Premier -- This database provides access to over 8040 multi-disciplinary publications, both scholarly and popular, many in full-text. Good source for reviews. Covers 1975 to present.

MasterFILE Premier -- A general multidisciplinary database to mostly popular publications. Includes biographies, reference books, primary source documents, maps and photos. Covers 1975 to present.

JSTOR --An index to and full text of select, academic journals.

Project Muse -- An index to and full text of journals published by Johns Hopkins University Press and other scholarly publishers. Disciplines include folklore, history, and literature.

Literary Studies/Film:

Film Literature Index 1984- [RR PN1993 .F5] "Provides the most comprehensive survey available of the entire spectrum of current periodical writing on film." Also available on-line at Film Literature Index.

Film and Television Literature Index in Full Text -- Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text is the definitive online tool for film and television research. Subject coverage includes film & television theory, preservation & restoration, writing, production, cinematography, technical aspects, and reviews.

Film Review Index  [RR P.N1995 .F13 1986] A collection of reviews of films released in the United States.   See volume 1:  1882-1949. 

International Index to Film Periodicals 1979- [RR PN1993 .I5] An index with abstracts to journal articles in film periodicals. Includes indexes by subject, film title, director, and author.

International Index to the Performing Arts Indexes approximately 140 periodicals in the field of performing arts.

MLA International Bibliography Major index to literature journals and related fields (folklore, languages, linguistics). Covers 1963-present. Print index also available in Rolvaag Reference Room RR P1 .A1 M6; 1921-1993

Art Index Indexes English-language art periodicals, museum bulletins, bibliographies, film reviews, and conference reports.  Covers 1984 to the present.

History:

America: History and Life -- Scholarly index to articles on all aspects of U.S. and Canadian history, including recent events.

Historical Abstarcts -- An index to history journals, books, and dissertations. Excludes articles on North America (see its companion, America: History & Life). Covers material published from 1955 to the present written about the time period 1450 to the present.

Newspapers:

LexisNexis Academic -- Excellent source for full-text articles, including reviews, in national and international newspapers.

New York Times (1851 - 2003) -- Offers "full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue."

Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature [RR AI3 .R48] 1890- -- Index to magazines and reviews arranged in one alphabet that includes both authors and subjects.

Biography:

Biography and Genealogy Master Index -- An index to biographical encyclopedias and dictionaries.

---

Internet Resources

Remember to evaluate each site critically for authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

	Ask:	Look for:
Authorship	Who wrote the page? Does the author have appropriate education, training, or experience to write with authority (credibility) on this topic?	Linked biographical statements, resumes, or other background about the site author. If no individual author is named, consider the reputation of the organization associated with the site.
Coverage	Is the topic explored in depth? Is there considerable content on the page? Are entire articles or items provided or just excerpts from larger works? Does the site point you to other sites?	Sources documented with footnotes or links. Balance of text and images.
Objectivity	Is the presentation biased (one-sided) or balanced (both pro and con viewpoints provided)? Are claims and arguments supported (with documentation) or unsubstantiated?	References to alternative points of view. Factual documentation od arguments.
Currency	When was the page written or last updated? Is the site well maintained (eg.are links functional or broken)?	Page creation or revision dates. "What's New" page that describes when content was updated. Press releases or other dated materials.
Recognition	Do others recognize the value of this site, either in reviews or by linking to it?	Other sites that link to a site you are evaluating. Reviews of the site.

Based on "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask." UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops. 7Jan. 2005. 14 Feb. 2005. <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html>, and "Evaluating Web Sites." The Ohio State Univeristy Libraries. 14 Feb. 2005. <http://gateway.lib.ohio-state.edu/tutor/>.

A few fun sites to explore:

Internet Movie Database
Good resource for finding plot summaries, photos, credits, and comments on films.

Wellesnet: The Orson Welles Web Resource
"Managed and maintained by Jeff Wilson, this ongoing internet project has an impressive catalogue of rare images (production stills, posters from around the world), a broad survey of Welles' television, radio, and film work, an exhaustive list of books, audio recordings, and internet links, on Welles and his films, and a forum populated by a half dozen extremely dedicated Welles-o-philes, foremost among them Wilson himself."

The Mercury Theatre on the Air
"Countless radio broadcasts of shows put on by Welles' Mercury Theatre company; a real treat for fans of old-time radio and Welles' voice. Files are downloadable in Real Audio and MP3 formats."

A couple of good film journals on the Internet:

Bright Lights Film Journal
"Originally a print publication, this online journal 'is a popular-academic hybrid of movie analysis, history, and commentary, looking at classic and commercial, independent, exploitation, and international film from a wide range of vantage points from the aesthetic to the political.' Includes interviews, actor profiles, and film, film festival, and book reviews. Searchable archives.

Senses of Cinema
"Contents of the film journal Senses of Cinema, devoted to the serious and eclectic discussion of cinema."

---

Interlibrary Loan

Any item not owned by St. Olaf may be ordered through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provided you allow enough time.

---

Citation Guides

In addition to the information found in MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Sixth Edition [RR LB2369 .G53 2003], you may wish to consult Assembling a List of Works Cited in Your Paper , a simple online guide to cite your sources.

 

Contact Information:	Page Information:
Kasia Gonnerman Rolvaag Library 301 507-646-3501 gonnermk@stolaf.edu	Created by: Kasia Gonnerman | 11/30/05 Created for: Eric Nelson Updated by: Kasia Gonnerman | 11/13/07