Search.Libraries
Visit Search.Libraries to find books, journal articles, scores, audio, video, and more—all from a single integrated starting point.
Primary Sources
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Athena Textes FrançaisOver 10,000 links to digitized texts from French and Swiss authors.
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Bibliographie Nationale FrancaiseDescribes books and serials published, printed or distributed in France and received by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France through legal deposit.
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ClicNet: Littérature francophone virtuelleLinks to resources for various literary genres, from political writing to medieval literature to theater and science fiction.
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GallicaGallica is the digital library of the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) and its partners. It offers free and open access to several million digitized documents from all periods and all media.
Background Sources
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Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new window
Designed to be an authoritative resource of reference content in a wide array of academic fields, including the humanities, social sciences, and science.
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Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Provides concise introductions to a diverse range of subjects, written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make challenging topics highly readable. Subject categories include: Arts and Humanities, Law, Medicine and Health, Science and Mathematics, and Social Sciences.
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Oxford Dictionaries (French) This link opens in a new window
Authoritative and comprehensive English bilingual dictionary online for French.
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Larousse unabridged French dictionary : French-English, English-French
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Call Number: PC2640 .G68 2010ISBN: 9782035410382Publication Date: 2010-09-01The Larousse Grande Dictionaire includes entries for more than 850,000 words, phrases and translations, with abbreviations, acronyms, and proper nouns presented as headwords, menus at the top of long entries, idiomatic expression highlighted within entries, boxed notes on key problem areas in French grammar, over 400 encyclopedic boxed notes on cultural themes, and a cultural supplement on French langauge and art history. -
A Linguistic Handbook of French for Translators and Language Students
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ISBN: 9789027264183Publication Date: 2018-04-03An in-depth contrastive study of French and English based on recent theories of linguistics and discourse analysis, with exercises in analyzing and translating French, along with detailed corrections. Each chapter is followed by a list of suggested readings, and a detailed glossary at the end of the book explains all technical terms used. -
Old French
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ISBN: 9780521098380Publication Date: 1975-01-09A concise but comprehensive handbook which describes the phonology, morphology and syntax of standard Old French, paying attention also to the main dialect forms. With numerous examples, including representative passages of some length, and a glossary. -
The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French
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Call Number: PC2766 .M68 2011ISBN: 9780415597920Publication Date: 2011-05-25This cultural dictionary provides concise explanations of the cultural dimension behind frequently used words and phrases in contemporary French. This background information enables readers to move beyond superficial understanding of the French press and the French language in general, to recognize implied cultural significances that are apparent to native speakers. Key features include over 3,000 cultural references (historical, literary, popular, and classical), indication of frequency, in-depth analysis of punning mechanisms, and over 600 questions to test knowledge.
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French Literature: A Very Short Introduction
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Call Number: PQ103 .L96 2010ISBN: 9780199568727Publication Date: 2010-06-18This volume introduces the literary world of French literature by focusing on texts (epics, novels, plays, poems, and screenplays) that concern protagonists whose adventures and conflicts reveal shifts in literary and social practices. From the hero of the medieval Song of Roland to the Caribbean heroines of I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem or the European expatriate in Japan in Fear and Trembling, these problematic protagonists allow us to understand what interests writers and readers across the wide world of French. -
Historical Dictionary of French Literature
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Call Number: PQ41 .F58 2013ISBN: 9780810867789Publication Date: 2013-01-17This volume covers French literature from the earliest times to the present. The core dictionary section includes detailed entries on hundreds of authors, dozens of significant works, various literary styles, literary prizes, and events that have impacted literature, such as the Dreyfus Affair and the Algerian War. The chronology covers about 1,200 years of literary output. A bibliography is broken down by period and author, indicating further reading in both French and English. -
Historical Dictionary of French Theater
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Call Number: PN2637 .F67 2010ISBN: 9780810849396Publication Date: 2010-04-27This volume relates the history of the French theater through a chronology, introduction, bibliography, and over 400 cross-referenced dictionary entries on authors, trends, genres, concepts, and literary and historical developments that played a central role in the evolution of French theater.
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Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution
Call Number: EbookISBN: 9780810878914Publication Date: 2015The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on the causes and origins; the roles of significant persons; crucial events and turning points; important institutions and organizations; and the economic, social, and intellectual factors involved in the event that gave birth to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. -
The Oxford Handbook of the French Revolution
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Call Number: DC148 .O945 2015ISBN: 9780199639748Publication Date: 2015-03-22Expert contributors offer insights into the history and historiography of this epochal event, placing core dimensions of the history of the French Revolution in their transnational and global contexts. Identities of class, gender and ethnicity are interrogated, as are conceptions and practices linked to citizenship, community, order, security, and freedom. -
The Routledge Companion to the French Revolution in World History
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Call Number: DC148 .R68 2016ISBN: 9781317413875Publication Date: 2015-09-16This volume engages with recent trends in French revolutionary scholarship by considering the Revolution in its global context. International contributors examine the impact of the Revolution not only on Europe, but on Latin America, North America and Africa, assess the impact of events in these regions on the Revolution in France, and consider the Revolution's enduring legacy in the modern world. An introduction by the editors places the Revolution in its political, historical and historiographical context. -
The Routledge Handbook of French Politics and Culture
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ISBN: 9781138101753Publication Date: 2019-12-04A detailed survey of research on French politics, society and culture across the social sciences and humanities. The handbook includes contributions from eminent authors who outline the current state-of-the art research in French Studies across disciplinary boundaries.
Books and Ebooks
Library of Congress Classification (LCC) assigns call numbers beginning with DC, PC, and PQ to many resources relevant to French and the Francophone world; subclasses and ranges are outlined below.
- DC1-947 History of France
- PC2001-3761 French [Language]
- PQ1-3999 French literature
For more information, see:
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) for French include:
- France
- France -- History
- French
- French-Canadians
- French drama
- French drama
- French fiction
- French language
- French literature
- Motion pictures, French
Subject headings or terms might be viewed as problematic for a variety of reasons. They may be outdated, hurtful or offensive, inappropriate, incorrect, or unclear to the point of misunderstanding. To learn more, read about our Subject Term Flagging initiative.
In Search.Libraries, you may:
- Filter your search results by Resource Type > Books, and Language > French.
- In Advanced Search, select Books & ebooks for the Resource Type pre-filter, and French for the Language pre-filter.
For novels and short fiction, you may:
- Search for books & ebooks where subject contains the exact phrase: French fiction; this will return many—but not exclusively—results in the original French.
- Search for books & ebooks where title contains: roman; then, filter results by Language > French.
- Search for books & ebooks where genre contains: fiction; then, filter results by Language > French.
Scholarly Articles
The following are our top databases for finding scholarly & peer-reviewed articles related to French.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by subject for French.
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Cairn.info This link opens in a new window
Cairn.info provides access to 600+ French language publications in the arts, humanities, social sciences, education, and public health, including books, journals, magazines, and encyclopediae. Access to abstracts and indexing is available for all resources; open, full-text access is available for many resources.
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Érudit This link opens in a new window
Érudit is a multi-university publishing consortium, providing access to 300+ Canadian and Francophone scholarly and cultural publications, including open, full-text access to 150+ scholarly publications.
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MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Index to books, essays, and journal articles on modern languages, literatures, fiction, folklore and linguistics. Topics include literary theory, criticism, folk literature and belief systems, linguistics, semantics, translation, dramatic arts, and history of printing and publishing. Covers literature worldwide and includes materials in all genres and in foreign languages. Dates of Coverage: 1926 to date
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Portail Persée This link opens in a new window
Portail Persée is a French-language resource providing open, full-text access to French scholarly publications (journals, books, conference proceedings, serial publications, primary sources, etc.) in the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Video
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore feature films:
- Search for videos where the subject contains "feature films"
- Search for videos where the genre contains "feature films"
- Search for videos where the genre contains "fiction films"
Databases
The following are the best databases for finding feature films:
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Feature Films for Education This link opens in a new windowHundreds of streaming full-length feature films for educational instructional purposes. This collection focuses on both current and hard-to-find titles, including documentaries, literary adaptations, blockbusters, classics, environmental titles, foreign films, social issues, animation studies, Academy Award winners, and more.
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Klassiki This link opens in a new window
Classic cinema from Russia, Ukraine, the Caucasus and Central Asia, including silent classics through to the Soviet era and into the 2010s. Note: You must email ages@oberlin.edu to sign up for an account before you can use the platform.
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World Cinema Video Collection This link opens in a new windowStreaming feature films from Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, including films from the silent era, from the mid-20th century, as well as award-winning contemporary works.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Feature Films, or Video).
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore documentaries:
- Search for videos where the subject contains "documentary films".
Documentaries
The following are the best databases for finding documentaries:
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Academic Video Online This link opens in a new windowStreaming documentaries, films, and demonstrations on topics including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more.
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Bloomsbury Video Library This link opens in a new window
Filmed performances, fiction films, documentaries and instructional videos from the visual and performing arts, film, and history. Includes indie films and shorts, avant-garde performances, interviews with renowned writers, artists, choreographers, performers and practitioners, documentaries on an international range of themes, traditions, and historical figures. (1880-present)
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Docuseek This link opens in a new window
Educational documentaries and fiction feature films curated to help students examine the issues related to social, ecological, political, and environmental justice around the world.
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Films on Demand This link opens in a new windowA streaming video collection that provides unlimited access to 300,000 video clips in numerous subject areas. Includes captioning with interactive and searchable transcripts on all titles, as well as instructions for embedding videos in learning management systems.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Video).
Search.Libraries
In Search.Libraries, you can filter your results by Availability > Physical Items @Oberlin, or Availability > Available Online.
To explore television programs, commercials, and more:
- Search for videos where the genre contains "television"
Databases
The following are some best databases for finding television broadcast recordings (including news, advertisements, and more):
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AP Archive This link opens in a new windowThe film and video archive of the Associated Press is freely available on YouTube. The collection includes over 1.7 million global news and entertainment stories dating back to 1895.
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EUScreen This link opens in a new windowThousands of video clips produced by a variety of European television stations throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, that provide context for Europe's history and culture. Clips include, for example, a German broadcast of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a 1972 Polish fashion show, Maria Callas performing in Paris in 1958, and advice about how young men ought to behave from a 1960s London charm school.
For a full list of databases at Oberlin, check out our Databases A-Z, which you can filter by Subject (e.g., Cinema & Media Studies) or Type (e.g., Feature Films, or Video).
Video recordings in physical formats (e.g., Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS) are available at Oberlin College Libraries, and can be found using Search.Libraries.
To explore video recordings in physical formats:
- Search for videos using the wildcard character [?], and filter for Physical Items @ Oberlin
- Search for all items where the call number begins with DVD
- Browse by local call number DVD
- Search for all items where the call number begins with VCR
- Browse by local call number VCR
In Search.Libraries, you may:
- Filter search results by Resource Type > Video, and Language > French.
- In Advanced Search, select Video for the Resource Type pre-filter, and French for the Language pre-filter.
- Search for video where the subject contains the exact phrase: Motion pictures, French.
- Search for video where any field contains the exact phrase: French with English subtitles.
Magazines and Newspapers
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Caribbean Newspapers, Series 1: 1718-1876 This link opens in a new window
Historical Caribbean newspapers most published in the English language; some also in Spanish, French, and Danish.
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Gale Primary Sources (OhioLINK Access) This link opens in a new window
Topically focused collections of historical documents, including the American Civil Liberties Union Papers (1912-1990), Archives Unbound, Archives of Sexuality & Gender, British Library Newspapers, The Economist Historical Archive (1843-2014), 18th Century Collections Online, Indigenous Peoples: North America, 19th Century Collections Online, 19th Century U.S. Newspapers, Political Radicalism & Extremism in the 20th Century, Sabin Americana (1500-1926), and The London Times Digital Archive (1785-1985).
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Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers This link opens in a new windowWide range of regional newspapers from the Middle East and North Africa, in Arabic, English, and French, providing unique insights into the history of individual countries, as well as broad viewpoints on key historic events. (Dates of coverage 1902-1972)
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Factiva This link opens in a new window
Full-text global news sources, including newspapers, newswires, television and radio transcripts, numerous regional and industry publications, and images from Reuters, along with financial data including business ratios. Content comes from ~160 countries in 22 languages. Only 3 Oberlin users at one time.
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Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
A wide range of news, political, legal, and business information from thousands of sources, mostly full text. Includes newspapers, magazines, wire services, federal and state court opinions, federal and state statutes, federal regulations, and SEC filings. News information is updated daily and wire services several times daily.
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Cairn.info This link opens in a new window
Cairn.info provides access to 600+ French language publications in the arts, humanities, social sciences, education, and public health, including books, journals, magazines, and encyclopediae. Access to abstracts and indexing is available for all resources; open, full-text access is available for many resources.