Presidential Research and Information Resources

The Seton Hall University Libraries contain numerous articles, books, reports, and primary sources that cover the span of the American Presidency from 1789 through the present day. Our electronic resources are accessible both on-campus and remotely alike.

A good place to start is our Presidential Research Library Guide created by Assistant Dean for Public Services, Lisa De Luca that can be accessed here:

Presidential Research Library Guide

While that link is a recommended starting place for presidential history within this country, any search can be modified for individual aspects of the office, historical legacy, individual figures from George Washington to Joseph Biden and all in-between which can be found through the Seton Hall University Libraries catalog using the keyword – “President*” to begin your query:

University Libraries Home Page

Senate Bill Recognizing President’s Day and the Birthday of George Washington, 1878. (National Archives Image)

Additionally, book titles related to Presidential Studies can be found through the following site link to compliment

Presidential Book Titles – University Libraries Catalog

Did you know the archives holds the diary of Bernard Shanley, advisor to President Eisenhower?  This diary provides an incredibly detailed account of the president’s activities and meetings.  It sheds particular light on the relationship between Joseph McCarthy and President Eisenhower.  The 400+ page diary has been completely digitized, thanks to a grant from the National Archives, and can be accessed through the Shanley Collection Finding Aid.  Parts of the collection that have not been digitized can be seen in the Special Collections Reading Room.

We also provide information related to the broader of Political Science maintained by Professor Michael Murphy. Our specialized Library Guide maintained by Professor Murphy covers civil-based and leadership subject matter in broader detail and is readily available to our research community.

Political Science Library Guide

Need more help? Book a research appointment here: Research Appointment Site

American Flag Border (National Archives Image)

Research Advice from a Senior Diplomacy Student

Laura Rogers
Laura Rogers, recent Seton Hall graduate and former student library worker

The library has many resources available that I wish I’d known about as a freshman, especially for Diplomacy students. As someone who has worked at the library for the last four years, I’d recommend that all students familiarize themselves with the library’s website, as most questions regarding the library can be answered there. On the website, you can find comprehensive lists of available books and eBooks, which are separated by subject. Many professors will put their textbooks on permanent reserve at the library. I highly recommend taking advantage of this resource, since I know how expensive some books can be and how they add up. Professors don’t always announce when books are on reserve so it’s important to check the website for yourself, especially because some professors use the same textbooks for different classes.

Another aspect of the library that few students know about is the newspaper subscriptions that are available through the website. I know that many professors encourage students to stay up to date on current events, whether it be through news or journal articles. Many of these are available for free online through the library. So, if you need to access to major newspapers like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal among others, I encourage all students to look at the subscriptions the school already has access to.

All disciplines have research guides, which are a great starting point for finding relevant databases and resources. They’re written by expert liaison librarians for each major, so I highly recommend students find out who their librarian is! I personally met with the Diplomacy subject librarian over the past four years by making a research appointment. I met with her several times to discuss papers I’ve written, including my senior thesis. She was incredibly helpful in providing me with tips to locate the sources I needed.

While the website covers most of the resources you’ll need, our subject librarians and circulation staff are always welcome to help any students navigate the resources the library offers in person or over chat or email.

 

Caribbean American Heritage Month

Happy Caribbean American Heritage Month! To learn more about Caribbean culture, life, and history, we partnered with SHU’s West Indian Student Organization (WISO) and compiled a list of reading recommendations. Below is a list recommended by Ijah Penn, the treasurer of SHU WISO. To see more reading recommendations, you can go on Instagram and follow #caribbeanreads, and you can get involved in SHU WISO or learn more about their organization by following their Instagram: shu_wiso

Additionally, Chelsea Barrett, Business Librarian and Africana Studies liaison, compiled a new Research Guide on Caribbean Studies. Please check it out and provide feedback!

1. Land of Love and Drowning (2014)- The author Tiphanie Yanique represents St. Thomas and the U.S Virgin Islands. The story is a book of twisted and dark family secrets that plague the Bradshaw women over 60 years in the early 90’s in the U.S Virgin Islands. The novel is available as a print book in the library.

2. Elizabeth Nunez is a Trinidadian author who writes about internal cultural and societal struggles and the complex identities of her characters reflect the turmoil of these challenges. Two of Nunez’s works listed below can be found in the SHU library catalog as ebooks: Even in Paradise (2016),  and Not Everyday Use (2014).

3. The Dragon Can’t Dance (1986) by Earl Lovelace is a novel that discusses the difficulty of postcolonial Trinidad. The story is told through one man’s preparations of an elaborate dragon costume for Carnival as he attempts to shed the struggles of his life after Emancipation.  This book can be found in print in the library.

5. A Brief History of the Seven Killing (2014) is written by Marlon James, who represents Jamaica. The novel is a suspense-filled fictional story about Jamaica’s history and the political climate of the 1960’s through the 80’s. This book can be found in print in the library.

6. Esmeralda Santiago is a prominent Puerto Rican author in the United States. She writes memoirs that encapsulate her own assimilation into this American culture and way of life, which allow others with similar experiences to relate and feel represented. Her writing showcases themes of self-discovery, immigration, working-class immigrant experience and biculturalism.

Below are just a few samples of her writing and contributions:

Esmeralda Santiago. “El Hombre Que Yo Amo.” Ploughshares, vol. 26, no. 2/3, 2000, p. 146. EBSCOhost. Link to Read Full Text.

Video: “Esmeralda Santiago discusses her novel When I Was Puerto Rican.”

More selections from Santiago’s writing are also available to read in this print book, Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings — An Anthology

 

Where has Refworks gone?

If you are looking for Refworks – our bibliographic management program – the university’s subscription to Refworks ended January 1, 2017, permanently.

As an alternative to Refworks, we are recommending a free bibliographic citation management tool called Zotero. Instructions on how to install Zotero can be found here http://library.shu.edu/zotero/installing.


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