About The Black Studies Library

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Dedicated on November 10th 1971, The Black Studies Library (BSL) maintains a wide collection of materials concerning the Cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa and African-America.

BSL provides an interdisciplinary and international collection of materials, from books, journals, periodicals and serials to electronic resources such as video, audio and World Wide Web connections through our BSL web site.

Reflecting the wide diversity of Afrocentric Communities, the BSL collection covers almost every subject area as they relate to these communities.

The BSL staff is available for assistance in using online research tools as well as one to one library instruction for locating resources throughout the University Libraries and the greater community.

Location & Hours:

The BSL collection is located in Room 240, on the second floor of the William Oxley Thompson Library (Main Library) at the west end of the Oval on the campus of The Ohio State University. The BSL Collection Room is open during regular Main Library hours, 7:45am to 12:00(midnight) Monday through Thursday, 7:45am to 10:00pm Friday, 8:00am to 10:00pm Saturday, 11:00am to 12:00pm (midnight) Sunday.

The BSL office is located in Room 240B and is generally open from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday.  During non- office hours assistance may be obtained at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor of the Main Library until 10pm Monday through Thursday, until 5pm on Friday, 1 to 5 pm on Saturday and 1 to 9pm on Sundays.

* How to Find Us (in the real world) *

Loan Policies:

Students and courtesy card holders may borrow books for three weeks, faculty and staff for ten weeks. Books are checked out at the Main Circulation Desk on the first floor. Reference materials and journals, serials and periodicals do not circulate and may not be checked out. More information about circulation policies may be obtained at the Main Circulation Desk.

or on the OSUL Homepage

The BSL Homepage:

The Black Studies Library Web Site may be accessed through the OSUL Homepage, Libraries and Collections web page.

The BSL Web Site serves as a reference resource to the Cultures of Africa and African-America on the World Wide Web. It offers a wide variety of links to resources of interest to the Afrocentric World Community as well as features of specific interest to OSU students, faculty and staff.

Indices and Databases:

= Full Text Articles Available.
= Available from Columbus Campus Only. (Remote Access)

Indices of interest to students and scholars researching Afrocentric issues and information are available through the

OSUL Homepage, Online Research Tools,
web pages.

Indices in the BSL Reference Collection

Black Index:Afro Americana in Selected Periodicals, 1907 - 1949 Z1361.N39 N58
Black Newspaper Index (Title Varies), 1977 - AI3.I332
Index to Black Periodicals (Title Varies), 1950 - AI3.I43
Kaiser Index to Black Resources, 1948 - 1986 Z1361.N39 K34

Online Index

* International Index to Black Periodicals *

Full Text Databases

* Black Drama *
* Database of African-American Poetry *
* Ethnic Newswatch (includes African American newspapers) *
* Lexis Nexis Primary Sources in African American History *

Slave Narratives

* American Slavery: A Composite Autobiography *

Related Indices & Databases

* Academic Search FullTEXT Premier *
* America: History and Life *
* American National Biography *
* Business & Industry *
* Columbia Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition *
* Columbia International Affairs Online *
* Contemporary Authors *
* Historical Abstracts *
* Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals *
* MLA Bibliography *
* PAIS Database *
* Political Risk Yearbook *
* SIRS Researcher (Formerly Social Issues Researcher ) *
* Worldwide Political Science Abstracts *
* World News Connection *

Additional Reference Resources

Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (Coverage of general information. Particularly good resource for events prior to 1985 & continuing into the present.) AI3.R23

Serials, Journals & Periodicals:

New and current serials, journals and periodicals are found in the three most northerly rows of the low shelves of the BSL Reference section in the Northwest of Room 240.  See our BLACK STUDIES LIBRARY PERIODICALS AN ANNOTATED LIST web page.

Older, bound serials, journals and periodicals are located on the high shelves just across the isle from the current serials in the north end of the BSL Book Collection Area .

All serials, journals and periodicals are arranged alphabetically by title, and are non-circulating.

Theses:

Masters theses concerning Afrocentric subject matter may be found in the "T" section of the BSL Circulating Books in Room 240.

Microforms, Video & Audio:

Microform, video and audio materials are available in Room 140 on the first floor of the Main Library.  See the Microforms/Periodicals Web Site.

Closed Reserve:

Material placed on Reserve for use in conjunction with class work are available in Room 127 on the first floor of the Main Library.

Reserve items may be checked out between the hours of 9am and 9pm, and circulate for various time periods during the day.

Assistance:

For further assistance, please contact the BSL faculty and staff in the Main Library, Room 240B.