Oxford African American Studies Center Debuts at Ball State University Libraries

The University Libraries recognize the panoramic diversity of research, learning, and teaching at Ball State University and have recently acquired access to the Oxford African American Studies Center (OAASC), a multimedia database focusing on African American and African history.

This interdisciplinary resource offers students and faculty 24/7/365 desktop access to some of the most respected titles in African American and African study available from Oxford University Press, including full-text access to works like the complementary Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895 and Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the present along with the highly acclaimed five-volume Africana.

The much-anticipated African American National Biography is also part of the OAASC, offering nearly 6,000 biographies. The multifaceted database also includes over 1,000 images, maps, and primary source documents available for download and licensed for academic use.

The University Libraries’ introduction of this rich learning and teaching resource coincides with the national celebration of Black History Month, presenting our students and faculty with a timely opportunity to investigate the rich African and African American heritage and historical contributions. The OAASC enhances the depth of the University Libraries’ digital collections and expands the horizons of knowledge discovery tools brought to the Ball State University academic community by the University Libraries.

For more information, contact Matthew C. Shaw, Ball State University Libraries’ Electronic Resources Librarian, MCShaw2@bsu.edu, (765) 285-1302.