Databases
The OU library does not own a large collection of primary source databases specifically for Latin American history.
This list includes resources we have, including U.S. sources that may be relevant, and freely available sources on the web.
This list includes resources we have, including U.S. sources that may be relevant, and freely available sources on the web.
- See Digital Resource Gateways, right, for more freely available material.
- See also the Security Studies guide.
- See also the full Primary Sources guide.
- See also the Humanities Librarian's Spanish and Latin American Literature, Language, and Culture Guide.
- Caribbean History and Culture (1535-1920; Readex/Newsbank)Covers the diverse history of Caribbean islands over nearly 400 years. Includes books, pamphlets, almanacs, broadsides and ephemera.
- Cold War: Global Perspectives on East-West Tensions (1945-1991; Readex/Newsbank)U.S. government translations of foreign language material. Built from Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) and the Joint Publications Research Service Reports (JPRS).
- Congressional (United States; also called Proquest Congressional)Includes hearings (1824-present); CRS Reports (1916-present); House and Senate Documents/Reports (Serial Set; 1817-present); legislative histories (1969-present); bills and laws (1776-present); miscellaneous publications including GAO, CBO, the American State Papers, the House and Senate Journals (1789-present); vote reports (1987-present); maps (1789-2007); Congressional Record (1789-present); executive branch (1789-1932); and presidential materials such as executive orders (1789-present). Many of these are full text.
- Digital Archive of Latin American and Caribbean EphemeraThe Digital Archive of Latin American and Caribbean Ephemera is a steadily growing repository containing a previously unavailable subset of Princeton’s Latin American Ephemera Collection as well as newly acquired materials being digitized and added on an ongoing basis.
- Digital National Security Archive (dates below; Proquest)The DNSA collection is the most comprehensive collection available of significant declassified U.S government documents central to U.S. foreign and military policy since 1945. OU Libraries provides access to four sub-collections relating to Latin American policy and human rights:
El Salvador: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1977–1984
El Salvador: War, Peace, and Human Rights, 1980–1994
Nicaragua: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1978–1990
-Death Squads, Guerrilla War, Covert Operations, and Genocide: Guatemala and the U.S., 1954-1999. - Early Americas Digital ArchiveThe Early Americas Digital Archive (EADA) is a collection of electronic texts and links to texts originally written in or about the Americas from 1492 to approximately 1820.
- Early Encounters in North America (1534-1850; Alexander Street Press)Full text of letters, diaries, memoirs, and accounts of early encounters with Native Americans.
- El Caribe Digital Archive (1956-present; Eastview/CRL)Spanish-language daily newspaper published in the Dominican Republic. A chronicle of national and international news, both for the Dominican Republic and the broader Caribbean region.
- Ethnic Newswatch Complete (1959-present; Proquest)Newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press.
- Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports (1941-1996)Full text of U.S. government translations of foreign broadcasts, publications, and government statements. FBIS was followed by the Open Source Center (OSC) in 2005 and was included in the database World News Connection, which the library does not have. The CIA discontinued public access to the OSC in 2013.
- Foreign Relations of the United States (1861-1988; HeinOnline)Official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. The volumes published over the last two decades increasingly contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies. Also available from the Department of State here.
- Freedom of Information Archive / Declassification Engine (Columbia University and the History Lab)Open access database for searching declassified documents. NOTE: As of 7-24-24, archive contains:
-Azeredo da Silveira Papers, 1973-1979
-Clinton E-Mail, 2009-2013
-Foreign Relations of the United States, 1861-1984
-Kissinger Telephone Conversations, 1973-1976
-State Department Central Foreign Policy Files, 1973-1979
-U.K. Cabinet Papers, 1907-1990
-U.S. Declassified Documents Online, 1900-2008 (Must access this database separately to see full text of documents.)
-World Bank McNamara Records, 1950-1981
--See "About Collections" tab for more information. - HathiTrust Digital LibraryShared digital repository of millions of library books and journals converted from print resources owned by research institutions around the world. HathiTrust Digital Library does not permit viewing or downloading of books that are still under copyright. NOTE: The individual titles in this database are only listed in Discover not the Local Catalog.
- Hemeroteca Nacional Digital de MéxicoIn Spanish. Digital National Newspaper Archives of Mexico.
- Hispanic American NewspapersSpanish-language and bilingual Spanish-English newspapers printed in U.S, 1808-1980
- Hispanic Life in America, Series 3 (2010-present; Newsbank)Part of the America's News database, including 700 Spanish-language newspapers and periodicals
- Historical U.S. Newspapers (ProQuest)Includes these U.S. papers:
-Chicago Tribune, 1849-present;
-Los Angeles Times, 1881-present;
-New York Times, 1851-present;
-Wall Street Journal, 1889-present;
-Washington Post, 1877-present.
(The UK's Guardian and Observer, 1791-2003, is also included in this search as are papers from the Historically Black Newspapers collection.) - Immigrations, Migrations and Refugees: Global Perspectives (1941-1996; Readex/Newsbank)Digital archive covering all aspects of 20th-century human migration, including first-hand reports and global analysis. Built from Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) and the Joint Publications Research Service Reports (JPRS).
- Independent and Revolutionary Mexican Newspapers (1807-1929; Eastview/CRL)More than 1,000 titles from Mexico’s pre-independence, independence and revolutionary periods.
- Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS) Reports (1957-1995; Readex/Newsbank)U.S. government translations of foreign language materials from regions throughout the world. Includes monographs, reports, serials, journal and newspaper articles, and radio and television broadcasts.
- Latin American and Iberian PostersThis large collection contains posters from Cuba, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, and Spain among a few. Over 5,000 of these posters are available here. They address themes such as elections, imperialism, solidarity, human rights, and revolution.
- Latin American Government Documents ArchiveA list, ordered by country, of links to the top level archived version of all ministry and presidency Web sites captured as part of the LAGDA project.
- Latin American Newspapers (1800-1922; Readex/Newsbank)More than 35 nineteenth- and twentieth-century Latin American newspapers.
- Latin American Pamphlet Digital CollectionScarce and unique pamphlets, primarily from Chile, Cuba, Bolivia and Mexico, published during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
- LLILAS Benson Digital CollectionsA broad array of digital projects and initiatives, University of Texas.
- Local Catalog (OU)The library's catalog will list books that reproduce primary source material. For example, this search looks for subject terms that are frequently used for primary sources. Just add your country or region to the search to see what might be available.
- Modern Latin America, 8th Edition Companion WebsiteIncludes a timeline, lists of heads of state, essays, and primary sources.
- National Security Archive (George Washington University)Founded in 1985 by journalists and scholars to check rising government secrecy, the National Security Archive includes a library and archive of declassified U.S. documents.
- Political Database of the AmericasOffers centralized and systematized information about institutions and political processes, national constitutions, branches of government, elections, political constitutional studies and other subjects related to the strengthening of democracy in the region.
- Sabin Americana: History of the Americas (1500–1926; Gale)Includes books, pamphlets, serials, and more.
- SUR (1931-1992)Literary magazine published in Latin America. Featured the writings of leading figures in literature, philosophy, history, and the arts from Latin America, North America, and Western Europe.
- U.S. Declassified Documents Online (ca. 1905-present; Gale)Full text of previously classified U.S. government documents. The majority of the documents are presidential records.
Digital Resource Gateways
Also try a search in Google with the phrase "digital collections"
(including the quotation marks) and keywords that describe your topic.
(including the quotation marks) and keywords that describe your topic.
- Biblioteca Digital del Patrimonio Iberoamericano (BDPI)Association of National Libraries of Ibero-America. A portal that allows access from a single point of consultation to the digital resources of all participating libraries.
- Primary Sources (Berkeley)Guide to primary sources for Latin America. Some sources listed are available only to Berkeley students.
- Primary Sources (Christopher Newport University)Guide to primary sources for Latin America. Some sources listed are available only to Christopher Newport students.
- SALALM Digital ResourcesSeminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials' database of listings that provide links to open access digitized collections of primary sources that relate to Latin America and the Caribbean.