Subject Guides

Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies (LACAS)

Here are some links to databases, journals, dictionaries and web sites for LACAS students and researchers.

Primary Sources

What is a Primary Source?

Primary sources are often defined as first-hand accounts, raw data, or original content. They are generated by witnesses or participants of a past event. A secondary account is instead an analysis, commentary, or review of original content.

Primary Sources: Humanities & Sciences

Below is a helpful chart that provides examples of primary sources and secondary sources, and how they may differ between the humanities and the sciences:

Graphic taken from: https://dkit.ie.libguides.com/researchprocess/primaryandsecondarysources

Why use a Primary Source?

Primary sources provide direct evidence and information that give a better understanding to objects, people, places, and events from the past. They can inform research on many levels for historical people, places, events, family history, literary analysis, statistical research, studying performance practice, legal research, and marketing.

Suggested LACAS Archival & Primary Source Databases

Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980
The single largest compilation of Spanish-language newspapers printed in the U.S. during the 19th and 20th centuries. Features hundreds of Hispanic American newspapers.
It is based on the “Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project,” a national research effort directed by Nicolás Kanellos, Brown Foundation Professor of Hispanic Studies at the University of Houston.
Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection: Series 1 This link opens in a new window
An archive of publications focused exclusively on U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture from colonial times until 1960. Available in two series, Series 1 focuses on the creative life of U.S. Latinos and Hispanics. Content is written, indexed and searchable in Spanish and English.
It draws its content from the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project, the largest national project ever to locate, preserve, and disseminate Latino-Hispanic culture of the United States in its written form, from colonial times to 1960.
Arte Público Hispanic Historical Collection: Series 2
An archive of publications focused exclusively on U.S. Hispanic history, literature and culture from colonial times until 1960. Available in two series, Series 2 focuses on Hispanic American civil rights, religion and women’s rights from the 18th through the 20th century. Content is written, indexed and searchable in Spanish and English
Hundreds of rare books by Latino-Hispanic Americans
• Over 3,000 issues of rare historical newspapers and periodicals, including over 75,000 pages of content
• Over 250,000 pages of personal and organizational manuscript content
• Content written in Spanish (80%) and English (20%)
Ethnic NewsWatch
A full-text collection of articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic, minority, and native press.
Topics covered include news, arts, business, culture, education, the environment, history, journalism, political science, sociology. Spanish language search options available.
Sabin Americana: History of the Americas 1500-1926
Covers more than 400 years and 65,000 volumes in North, Central, and South America and the West Indies. The collection includes sermons, political tracts, newspapers, books, pamphlets, maps, legislation, literature, highlighting the society, politics, religious beliefs, culture, contemporary opinions, and momentous events of occurring 1500-1926.
Drawn from Joseph Sabin's famed bibliography, Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America from Its Discovery to the Present Time
Archives of Sexuality & Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture
Primary sources for the historical study of sex, sexuality, and gender. With material dating back to the sixteenth century,you can examine how sexual norms have changed over time, health and hygiene, the development of sex education, the rise of sexology, changing gender roles, social movements and activism, erotica, and many other interesting topical areas.
We have perpetual access to parts I, II, III, and IV

List of All Primary Source Databases & Resources @ Binghamton

Statistics Databases & Resources

Economist Intelligence Unit

EIU produces global macroeconomic forecasts and political and economic analysis for nearly 200 individual countries.

LANIC: Statistics

Gateway to statistics from and about Latin American countries. Organized by Regional and Country Resources.

Binghamton University Statistics & Census Data Subject Guide

Subject Guide containing several resources and links to additional statistical resources and data.

Other Relevant Resources

LANIC:

Latin American Network Information Center. The Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) is affiliated with the Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) at the University of Texas at Austin. LANIC's editorially reviewed directories contain over 12,000 unique URLs, one of the largest guides for Latin American content on the Internet. The mission of LANIC is to provide Latin American users with access to academic databases and information services throughout the Internet, and to provide Latin Americanists around the world with access to information on and from Latin America.

CRL Global Resources Network: Latin American Topic Guide:

This resource provides the strengths of the CRL holdings through the compilation of books, periodicals, manuscripts, newspapers, and archival materials in print, microfilm, and digital formats. Materials not available digitally through the database can be requested via Interlibrary loan.

Library of Congress Hispanic Collections Online:

Links to the digitized collections of Luso-Hispanic interest in the Library of Congress.

HOSLAC:

A database of primary sources on the history of science in Latin America and the Caribbean. The site, launched in January of 2010 provides a virtual archive of over 200 primary sources long with introductions based on the latest scholarly findings.

Latin Americanist Research Resources Project (LARRP):

LARRP is a consortium of research libraries that seeks to increase free and open access to information in support of learning and scholarship in Latin American Studies. It mobilizes collaborative activities among individuals and organizations on a global scale but focuses on relationships within the academic library community.