Action for Libraries
Oxford Rolling Out African American Studies Center; New Literature Collection Released
By Laura Chittivej
Coming in mid-April Oxford African American Studies Center (AASC) will provide students,
scholars and librarians with online access to among the finest reference resources in African
American studies. AASC will be the first online resource center to fully document the field of
African American studies and Africana studies.
Oxford African American Studies Center, at its core, will feature the new Encyclopedia of African American History 1619-1895, due to be published by Oxford in 2006; the African American National Biography, edited by Henry Louis Gates and scheduled for publication in 2008; the Encyclopedia of African American Art and Architecture, due for publication in 2007; Black Women in America, Second Edition, published in March 2005; and Africana. For the mid-April launch, 100 primary sources will be available including President Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation," Frederick Douglass's slave narrative, text of speeches and more. Each primary source will be accompanied by a brief introductory essay.
Beyond the core content and primary sources, AASC includes biographies, interactive time lines, maps, photo essays and image collections to enhance research and encourage further exploration into African American studies.
To view pricing for Oxford African American Studies Center or to request a free trial (available mid-April) visit www.bcr.org/reference/OUP/OUP-Menu.html.
Literature Collection Available
In addition to the upcoming launch of AASC, libraries may also enhance their Oxford Reference
Online: Premium subscription with Oxford University Press' new addition, the Literature
Collection. This comprehensive set of reference works details literature from 8th century
Germany, to Edwardian England to 20th century America. The collection provides coverage of
literary periods, genres and writers, all cross-referenced and fully searchable. Written by leading
scholars, the collection also covers literary movements, literary theories, themes and character
types. Multiple contextual entries place writers and works in their wider social, historical, artistic
and political environments, enabling subscribers to move easily between related entries.
Current Oxford Reference Online: Premium subscribers will receive a prorated subscription price for adding the Literature Collection. A detailed list and pricing for the Literature Collection is available at www.bcr.org/reference/OUP/OUP-Menu.html.