This is a guide to a variety of sources of information
related to the history of technology. The history of technology may be studied from
technical, contemporary, and historical viewpoints. For example, if you are doing
research on the history of the washing machine, you may want to understand how the
mechanisms work, what people were saying about washing machines during periods when they
were used, and the development and use of washing machines over a period of time.
You may want to get started by searching for books in
the HELIN catalog at http://helin.uri.edu. Leave the
Quick Search on "keywords" and type “history and your topic” (for
example “history and bathrooms”). You may need to be creative to come up with
appropriate terminology to represent your topic, or look at the Library of Congress
Subject Headings on the shelves behind the URI Reference Desk.
Science and Technology Sources | Contemporary Sources | Historical Sources
The following works provide brief histories
and technical explanations of inventions, and/or biographies of inventors.
- URI Ref. T39 .B49 1996
- Biographical Dictionary of the History of
Technology.
- URI Ref. T9 .C335 1976
- Dictionary of Inventions and Discoveries.
- URI Ref. Q141 .D5
- Dictionary of Scientific Biography.
- URI Ref. T20 .I59 2002
- Inventions and Inventors.
- URI Ref. T15 .I62 2008
- Inventors and Inventing.
- URI Ref. T15 .S53
- A History of Technology.
- URI Encyclopedia Case
- URI Ref. Q121 .M3 2007
- McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and
Technology. 10th ed.
- URI Ref. T15 .B684 1997
- Science and Technology Firsts.
Contemporary writings about technology
(writings about technology during a particular time period) are listed in newspaper and
periodical indexes. Use the index volumes for the years you are researching. See Searching for Periodicals in HELIN
for instructions how to look up URI call numbers for newspapers and magazines referenced
in indexes.
- http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html
- New York Times Article Archive.
- Search the complete backfile of The New York Times by keyword, author, or headline. Includes articles, advertisements, and listings through 1995; articles only after 1995. Full content in PDF format (1851-1995) or text-only format (1996-) may be purchased online. (Note that articles are also available on microfilm in many libraries and online in library databases.) 1851-. Updated daily.
- URI Ref. AI3 .R48 [1982- ] Latest 10 Years in Index Area
- CCE Ref. AI3 .R48 [1900- ]
- http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html
[1890-1982]
- Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature / Reader's Guide Retrospective.
- Index to articles appearing in magazines and general
interest periodicals.
- http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html
- Compendex. 1970-. (Updated
weekly.)
- Indexing and abstracts of professional magazines and
scholarly journals in engineering.
Historical articles and reference books treat the
historical development and use of technologies. See Searching for Periodicals in HELIN
for instructions on how to look up URI call numbers for periodicals referenced in
historical databases. Reference databases are available from the library home page at http://www.uri.edu/library/.
- http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html
- America History and Life. 1964-.
- Indexing and abstracts of journal articles and other
materials on the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present.
- http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html
- Historical Abstracts. 1967-.
- Indexing and abstracts of journal articles and other
materials on the history of countries other than the United States and Canada from 1450 to
the present.
- URI Ref. E169.12 .A419 1994
- American Decades. 1900-1989.
- Each volume covers a decade of the 20th century. See
the Science and Technology section for technological developments during the decade.
For assistance
If you need further assistance, please stop by the Reference Desk or call (401) 874-2653.
J. Williamson, 07/01, rev. P. Larsen 5/05, 6/08. |
