Tommy Nixon
Liaison for Classics, Dramatic Arts, & English/Comparative Literature

tommy_nixon@unc.edu
919.962.1151

These research guides are very useful for describing literary reference sources. For example, Harner (below) has a very detailed discussion of the MLA International Bibliography. You might use these guides to determine if there is a good bibliography of Renaissance drama studies or if there is an encyclopedia of French symbolist poets, etc..

Literary research guide [electronic resource] : an annotated listing of Reference Sources in English literary studies. James L. Harner. 5th ed. New York : Modern Language Association of America, 2008. An exemplary classified and critically annotated bibliography for the study of English & American literature; Harner also includes brief chapters for "Other Literatures in English," "Foreign-Language Literatures," "Comparative Literature," as well as for "Literature-Related Topics and Sources." An invaluable guide to literary and related reference sources.
Davis Reference Desk PR83 .H34 2008

Key sources in comparative and world literature : an annotated guide to reference materials. George A. Thompson, Jr. with the assistance of Margaret M. Thompson. New York : F. Ungar Pub. Co., c1982. Intended for use by graduate students, arranged by national literature. Includes many specialized bibliographies of themes, genres, and movements. With descriptive and evaluative annotations and citations to reviews of the works included. In need of updating.
Davis Reference Z6511 .T47 1982

Classical studies : a guide to the reference literature . Fred W. Jenkins. Westport, Conn. : Libraries Unlimited, 2006.
A useful reference source that provides more detailed guidance to a variety of topics than can be covered by this guide (epigraphy, numismatics, palaeography, papyrology, etc.).
Davis Reference PA91 .J4 2006

For engaging stories of literary discovery & detective work, see Richard Altick's The Scholar Adventurers, Davis PR99 .A6.

The art of literary research . Richard D. Altick and John J. Fenstermaker. 4th ed. New York : Norton, c1993.
Although somewhat dated in terms of the electronic era, this is a standard vade mecum for literary research.
Davis PR56 .A68 1993

The modern researcher . Jacques Barzun and Henry F. Graff. 6th ed. Belmont, CA : Thomson/Wadsworth, c2004.
A multidisciplinary guide to scholary research, a standard resource for many years.
Davis Library Circ Stacks Overflow (ask at Circ Desk) LB2369 .B28 2004

Introduction to scholarship in modern languages and literatures . Edited by David G. Nicholls. 3rd ed. New York : Modern Language Association of America, c2007.
Davis PB29 .I58 2007

Through the Carolina BLU Delivery Service, you can request to have books and articles available at any of the UNC-CH campus libraries, as well as books and articles requested through interlibrary loan, delivered to the campus library most convenient to you.

This Library of Congress classification system holds true for any library in the world using the LC system. For example, Romance language dictionaries will always be classed in the PCs, while English language dictionaries will always be classed in the PEs. General literature will be in the PNs, Romance language literartures in the PQs, British literature in the PRs & American literature in the PSs.