Caribbean Studies

TMU Libraries Omni Search For optimum use, sign in. This search engine searches for books and audio-visual materials that are also listed in the library's catalogue, as well as journal articles (many of which are available electronically), theses and dissertations, newspaper coverage from some recent and a selection of archival newspapers, and digitized content such as out-of-copyright books and journals that are available from sources such as The Internet Archive (www.archive.org) and The Hathi Trust.

Refine your search using the filters available on the left.

• Omni Research Tips and FAQ

  There are useful suggestions on how to use this search tool effectively.

SEARCH TIPS

Be specific.  If you want to find information related to a topic in a specific geographical entity like Jamaica, use the word Jamaica rather than the more general term Caribbean.

Phrases like "caribbean area" OR "west indies" are quite useful in keyword searching, especially when used with a topical keyword.

Try using truncated searches that use the *[asterisk] wildcard.  For example, "west indi*" will find phrases that begin with "west indi" including these phrases: "west indic" "west indians" "west indies."

If searching for ethnic groups, use the local usage such as "indo-caribbean" OR ("east-indians AND caribbean). The term South Asian is not widely used in the Caribbean for residents descended from the indentured servants.

Biographical information

Consider these resources:

• Current Biography (1941-2015) More recent issues are available at the Toronto Public Library.

The Toronto Public Library (TPL) has ongoing subscriptions to many biographical resources as well other dictionaries and encyclopedias that are not available at TMU. Many of the resources are located at the Toronto Reference Library situated just north of Bloor Street on Yonge Street.

Encyclopedias and dictionaries

remain useful sources of quick information.  In addition to free sources such as Wikipedia, consider some of our licensed electronic content from publishers such as Oxford University Press, as well as printed items. 

Try using Omni, Advanced Search and Subject contains: [type a topical word or words] and either dictionaries, or, encyclopedias

Example Subject contains searches:

:

• caribbean area encyclopedias
• caribbean dictionaries
• caribbean biography dictionaries
• caribbean literature encyclopedias

Maps and Atlases

Omni, Advanced search, Subject contain: caribbean area maps

Omni, Browse search, Library of Congress subject heading search: atlases

The David Rumsey Map Collection contains historical maps of North and South America including the Caribbean Area

Caribbean Basin Maps Collection from the State University Libraries of Florida

The Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library is digitizing many of the 200,000 maps in the collection. Search digital content under the Collections tab.

Many digitization initiatives are making books and magazines that are no longer protected by copyright available to new generations of researchers. Some creators are publishing their works in open access databases or under a Creative Commons license that permits free access to their research.

Many of these open access books and magazines are indexed in the TMU Libraries Omni search tool.

For specific databases, consider:

The Internet Archive This venture includes books, movies, music and more.

Hathi Trust Digital Library Much of the content is available to all researchers. Some content is restricted to partner institutions and not available to the TMU community.

Google Books In addition to searching for works in the public domain no longer protected by copyright, this site may allow you to preview small amounts of text from books that are still protected by copyright. Look for the complete works in the TMU Libraries Omni search tool or try the Toronto Public Library or our  Interlibrary Loan Service