EDHE 6064: Higher Education in the United States: Additional Guides & Search Tools

Additional Guides & Research Tools

This section of the guide includes some tools and resources for searching, including links to authoritative thesauri and subject/name terms that can help you identify search terms, some databases and aggregators in which you can search for information about manuscript collections, and some LibGuides hosted by the University Libraries.

Sources for subject terms & keywords

CRS Legislative Subject Terms
The CRS Legislative Subject Terms is a set of about 1,000 terms, including those that describe geographic entities and government organizations, for use with CONGRESS.GOV beginning with the 111th Congress. Legislative analysts from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) closely examine the content of each bill and resolution to assign Policy Area Terms and Legislative Subject Terms.
Cultural Objects Name Authority® Online (CONA)
Please note: CONA tends to focus on specific named cultural heritage objects (a particular painting or piece of furniture, for example), but it may be worth exploring the vocabulary for ideas.
Legislative Indexing Vocabulary (LIV)
Terms assigned to legislation from the 110th and earlier Congresses came from a list that was based upon a thesaurus known as the Legislative Indexing Vocabulary (LIV). The Legislative Indexing Vocabulary (LIV) is an older CRS thesaurus that was discontinued in 2008 but can still be used to enhance CONGRESS.GOV research.
Library of Congress Authorities
Using the Library of Congress Authorities, you can browse and view authority headings for Subject, Name, Title and Name/Title combinations.

Search tools for primary sources

Virginia Heritage is a database for finding aids (collection guides) at about 35 participating institutions in Virginia. ArchiveGrid is a database of finding aids and catalog records for institutions around the country, but it is voluntary and not all-encompassing. WorldCat contains records for a wide variety of materials and formats with varying degrees of information. It is primarily focused on academic and public libraries.

Other states, state/multi-state partnerships, and regional consortia may also have search tools that include both finding aids and/or digital content. So, you may need to do some digging to locate additional search tools--and you can always ask our staff for help or suggestions!

WorldCat Discovery
WorldCat Discovery began powering the big search box on the VT Libraries' homepage in May 2020. It can be used to search Virginia Tech holdings as well as holdings cataloged by any OCLC member library.
ArchiveGrid
ArchiveGrid includes over four million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. With over 1,000 different archival institutions represented, ArchiveGrid helps researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies.
Virginia Heritage
Virginia Heritage is a consolidated database of more than 12,000 finding aids which provide information about the vast array of manuscripts and archival materials housed in historical societies, libraries, museums, colleges and universities across the Commonwealth. The continuous addition of new and updated finding aids makes this a great tool for discovering primary source materials documenting the history, culture, and people of Virginia.

Other guides from the University Libraries

Historically Marginalized Communities Resources
This guide includes information about which Special Collections and University Archives holdings contain materials about the history of historically marginalized communities.
Hokies@Home: Documenting COVID-19 at Virginia Tech
This collection is under development. The project is gathering official university communications about the university's response and submissions from the Virginia Tech community about their experiences during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Special Collections and University Archives: A Basic Introduction LibGuide
Provides a basic introduction to Special Collections and University Archives at Virginia Tech. How is the department different from the rest of the library? How are materials accessed? Why should you want to know about Special Collections and University Archives?
Virginia Tech History Resources
This guide features tools and information to help you locate unpublished and published resources about the university from its founding in 1872 thru today.

About Special Collections and University Archives

Hours

Special Collections and University Archives is currently open Monday-Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Appointments are not required, but strongly encouraged (**see below)

Appointments can be made by visiting the SCUA Seat Reservation page (instructions are included on this page)

Virtual reference help remains available at specref@vt.edu or by phone at 540-231-6308

**By making an appointment, you will help us limit the number of researchers using our Reading Room at any one time for health and safety; guarantee you a seat at the requested time; and help us plan for your visit, for example, making sure the materials needed are on site and available.

Connect with us

Email: specref@vt.edu
Phone: 540-231-6308
Twitter: @VT_SCUA
Information for Visitors

Find us online

Our website
Our digital collections
Our blog
Our LibGuides

Land Acknowledgement & Labor Recognition

Virginia Tech acknowledges that we live and work on the Tutelo / Monacan People’s homeland and we recognize their continued relationships with their lands and waterways. We further acknowledge that legislation and practices like the Morrill Act (1862) enabled the commonwealth of Virginia to finance and found Virginia Tech through the forced removal of Native Nations from their lands, both locally and in western territories.

We understand that honoring Native Peoples without explicit material commitments falls short of our institutional responsibilities. Through sustained, transparent, and meaningful engagement with the Tutelo / Monacan Peoples, and other Native Nations, we commit to changing the trajectory of Virginia Tech's history by increasing Indigenous student, staff, and faculty recruitment and retention, diversifying course offerings, and meeting the growing needs of all Virginia tribes and supporting their sovereignty.

We must also recognize that enslaved Black people generated revenue and resources used to establish Virginia Tech and were prohibited from attending until 1953. Through InclusiveVT, the institutional and individual commitment to Ut Prosim (that I may serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence, we commit to advancing a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.

This guide was adapted with permission from a course LibGuide originally created by Kira Dietz.