Secondary Sources Defined
Secondary sources are materials written by historians using primary sources (such as government reports, newspaper articles, memoirs, etc.) Examples of secondary sources include books, journal articles, and encyclopedia articles. For more information on secondary sources, see this guide.
For a guide on the history of the University of Oklahoma, see this link.
Books and Encyclopedias
To search for books on the history of Oklahoma, use the Local Catalog. (Search box below.) It lists materials owned by the University of Oklahoma Libraries.
Many cities and counties have written their histories. These can be good secondary resources, and occasionally these may serve as primary resources if they include first-hand accounts of life in a place. To locate county histories in the Local Catalog, search the words "county history Oklahoma" (without the quotes) in the "Any field" category, limiting "Material Type" to "Books." Another good way to locate a county or town history is to search for that place in the subject category.
- Oklahoma: A HistoryThis book provides a good general overview of Oklahoma history. Also in print at call number F 694 .B34 2008 in Bizzell Memorial Library, Main Floor, and the Western History Collections. (Also see Oklahoma: A Guide to the Sooner State online or in print at F 694 .W85 in Bizzell, Main Floor. WPA guide to Oklahoma, published in 1941.)
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and CultureThis encyclopedia is available online and in print. The print versions, published in 2009, are available in the reference areas of Bizzell Memorial Library, the Fine Arts Library, and the Western History Collections. The call number is F 694 .E63 2009.
Journals and Magazines
- Chronicles of OklahomaOnline and F 691 .C55, Bizzell and Western History Collections
This journal is published by the Oklahoma Historical Society. As of October 5, 2022, the most current issued digitized is Winter 2019-20.To see article titles and summaries after that date see this search in the America: History and Life Database. - Oklahoma TodayOnline and F 691 .O5, Bizzell and Western History Collections
This magazine, which began publication in the 1950s, highlights various aspects of Oklahoma history and tourism. - Prairie LoreF 691 .P7, Western History Collections
This is a journal published by the Southwestern Oklahoma Historical Society.
The database America: History and Life indexes journal articles and more.
Click here for a search that includes the subject of Oklahoma.