Reference works (sources such as encyclopedias, historical dictionaries, or other sources providing general overviews similar to Wikipedia) provide valuable historical context and background information around your topic and the layers of other concurrent historical moments and themes that might influence how you articulate your argument and interpret your primary sources.
Results are divided into six possible sections, based on the indexes searched: books, periodicals, official (government) publications, archives, newspapers, and reference works.
Books:
Nineteenth-Century Short Title Catalogue; The Nineteenth Century publishing program,
Periodicals:
ProQuest’s American Periodicals; ProQuest’s British Periodicals; Cotgreave's Index; An Index to Legal Periodical Literature; Cumulative Index to Niles' Register, 1811–1849; Periodicals Index Online; Poole's Index to Periodical Literature; Stead's Index to Periodical Literature; The Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900
Official Publications:
House of Commons Parliamentary Papers; Proceedings of the Old Bailey; The U.S. Serial Set
Archives:
Archive Finder
Newspapers:
Palmer's Index to The Times
Reference:
The "Bookman" Directory of Booksellers, Publishers and Authors; Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Journalism
