Skip to Main Content

Asian American Studies

This guide is designed for the Asian American Studies Program at San José State

Finding Books: OneSearch catalog

Books along with other resources are searchable through OneSearch. OneSearch is an all-in-one search tool in that includes books, articles, and websites. Keep in mind that if you are only searching for books you will need to use the filters on the left hand side to limit your search to books only. 

To view the newest books related to Asian American Studies, visit the New Books section of this guide. Some items are in print and stored at King Library, while others are available to you immediately in digital format as long as you're signed in to SJSU.

Subject Headings (Library of Congress)

In order to give books some organization, the Library of Congress uses the "Library of Congress Subject Headings". These subject headings are slow to change and sometimes removed from contemporary usage; they are, however, extremely useful in locating books and articles.  Since a OneSearch search result lists books, articles and websites, the words you use to locate relevant materials becomes more important. To view subject headings, filter your OneSearch to books only and review the record. 

Although these are subject headings using them as KEYWORDS is an excellent research method. Examples of subject headings:

Korean Americans -- Cultural assimilation
Vietnamese Americans
Filipino Americans -- Hawaii

Amerasians
Asian Americans
Pacific Islander Americans--California

Chinese American women
Samoan Americans
Japanese-Americans - Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945

Ethnic groups or geographical locations can be substituted for other groups or locations.
Some names and organizations can also be used in subject searches.

See a tutorial on library call numbers

Encyclopedias/Reference Books

Contemporary encyclopedias are not like those of the past. Many now are articles/chapter based and are often followed by carefully selected bibliographies or lists of references to other works, useful items to have as you begin looking for additional information. Here are some possible works but not exhausted. Many of the books can be located on the 5th floor Cultural Heritage Center Reference Reference Collection. Check for exact location using OneSearch.

Encyclopedia of Asian American Issues

Asian American Chronology

Race Relations in the United States - 1900-1920; 1920-1940; 1940-1960;1960-1980

Encyclopedia of American Race Riots

Africana: the Encyclopedia of the African & African American Experience

Who we are – Hispanics; Asians; Blacks (statistics)

Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinas & Latinos

Encyclopedia of African American History

Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore & Folklife

Encyclopedia of Diasporas

Civil Rights in the United States

Encyclopedia of the American Indian Removal

Voices of the U.S. Latino Experience

Encyclopedia on Race and Racism

Bibliographies

Bibliographies are lists of books, articles, or other materials such as films and recordings. They can be entire books, be within books, or be at the end of journal articles. These are often overlooked resources for related sources; some are even annotated, with short descriptions of each entry. A well-organized, carefully selected and annotated bibliography can lead you to the best and most relevant sources on your topic.

Asians in the United States: abstracts of the psychological and behavioral literature
Asian American studies: an annotated bibliography and research guide

Statistics

UCLA Asian American Studies Center: 2013 Statistical Portrait of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Other Pacific Islanders Data

Beyond myths: the growth and diversity of Asian American college freshmen, 1971-2005

The American people: Census 2000

Who we are. Asians

Demographic and Socioeconomic Profiles of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders 2011 (Brief Report)

Profile America Facts for Features: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2016

Southeast Asian Americans At A Glance: Statistics on Southeast Asians adapted from the American Community Survey - Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) 2011

We the People: Asians in the United States PDF file

The American Community - Asians: 2004 PDF file

The American Community - Pacific Islanders: 2004 PDF file