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University Library DePaul Library

Family History / Genealogy Research (A How-to Guide): Background Information

Selected resources for conducting family history research

Finding Context Through Background Information

You can search the library catalog for books about the immigrant experience.

In WorldCat Local, select DePaul University Libraries and search:

  • Immigrants Chicago (or other location)
  • Immigrants Polish (or other nationality or ethnicity)
  • _____ Americans (e.g., Filipino Americans, Cuban Americans, Hmong Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans)

Encyclopedias and Guides:  Available under A-Z Databases list.  Select the Resource Type Encyclopedias, Handbooks & Guides.  You can also select a Subject, such as History.

For example:

American Decades - Each volume in this multi-volume set addresses one of the ten decades in the 20th century.  Explore the social, economic, and political events that influenced consumers who were coming of age then in order to understand them better today.

American Decades Primary Sources - Each volume in the set includes full or excerpted primary sources representing the seminal issues, themes, movements, and events from a decade.