Keep your mind sharp this summer with curated library guides from Pitt

The weather’s warmer, spring classes are over and it’s been a hard couple years. While nobody would fault you for taking a break to browse Twitter and TikTok all summer, we’ve got ideas for keeping your mind sharp to avoid the summer slump.   

Along with other valuable resources for research and learning, experts and librarians at Pitt have created tailored collections called LibGuides that anyone can use. These online resources serve as one-stop shops for understanding topics ranging from the patent process to the 1892 Homestead strike to ways to spot fake news. While many are of the guides are directed toward students researching for course projects, there are also general subject guides that serve as a primer for interested individuals.

Student reporter Justin P. Jones (A&S ’22) scoured the site to pick out five particularly in-depth and relevant LibGuides for you to explore, but there are dozens more to peruse by subject, reflecting the research and intellectual diversity here at Pitt.

Off campus? Don’t forget that you can access library resources anywhere using EZProxy.

Russian, East European and Eurasian studies

Better understand the war in Ukraine and what’s happening in Russia with this carefully crafted LibGuide that offers a wealth of resources and information about Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Travelers along the Silk Road

Created to accompany an exhibit at Hillman Library, this highly detailed LibGuide tells stories of the ancient trade route between the East and West.

The U.S. Census

The 2020 census was among the most contentious in recent memory. Better understand its history and geography with this guide. You can also look up local census information.

Transatlantic slave trade

This LibGuide offers access to databases and other resources detailing the 400-year history of the slave trade in Africa, Europe and the Americas. There’s also a rich selection of Africana studies guides in the collection that cover topics from contemporary Black female playwrights to Afro-Latin America.

Queer Horror

Pitt is known for its general expertise in horror studies, as well as the University’s George A. Romero Archival Collection. This multimedia LibGuide goes a step further to bring resources about the popular horror film genre through the lens of queer studies.

— Justin P. Jones