Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies

This guide provides a general introduction to Library and information resources for the study of literature in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies

Collections

Main Collections

The Main Library in George Square holds the majority of physical collections for Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. Some older collections are located in the the University Collections Facility (UCF) from where items can be requested. All the materials are listed in the Library search system DiscoverEd.

Books

The current lending stock of books relating to the subject area are mostly classified in the Library of Congress scheme (e.g.PQ6353 Ava.) which are located on the 2nd floor (categories A-PB) and 3rd floor (categories PC-Z). Older lending collections (acquired before 1999) are classified in the Dewey decimal scheme (e.g. 86332 Hat.) and are located on the 4th floor.

Journals

Bound, printed journals are located on the 4th floor. Back runs of some journals are stored in the University Collections Facility (UCF). Information on how to request material from UCF can be found in the list of useful links below.

Reference works and DVDs

Dictionaries, encyclopaedias and bibliographies and DVDs are classified in the LC scheme and interfiled with the general LC lending stock on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Manuscripts, rare books and archives are held in the Centre for Research Collections (CRC). See information about CRC below.

Other useful links:

HUB Collection

The High Use Books (HUB) collection, located on the ground floor of the Main Library, consists of HUB Reserve (3 hour loan) and HUB Short Loan (7 day loan) books.

Undergraduate course books on Reserve and Short Loan for Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies are located in this collection.

Centre for Research Collections

The Centre for Research Collections (CRC) houses the University Library’s Special Collections which include historical books, manuscripts, archives and microfilms. The main CRC facilities are on the 6th floor of the Main Library.

How to find items in your reading list

Use DiscoverEd to search for books, journals, journal articles, DVDs and other physical and electronic items. Use your University Login to sign into your account and manage loans and requests.

DiscoverEd_Logo
 

Use Resource Lists to find your course reading lists. Lookup reading lists by list title, course title, course code, course instructors.

     Resource lists

     Information for Students

Please note that not all the courses at the University use Resource Lists.

Accessing material beyond the Library collections

If the library does not have what you want then there are several ways of getting access to the material:

The National Library of Scotland

Conveniently located within ten minutes' walk of the University's Main Library, the National Library of Scotland (NLS) holds huge collections of primary and secondary source matierials which may not be available yet in the University Library.

The Inter-Library Loan (ILL) Service

This allows you to request material either held at distant university library sites including the  University Collections Facility, or material not held by the university. 

Book Recommendations

If you are unable to find the book that you need for your studies then use the Student Request a Book (RaB) service to recommend a purchase.

Visit another library

It may be possible (and sometimes quicker) to visit another library in the UK to get access to the item you require. Some reciprocal schemes and agreements allow our staff and students access to some other libraries.

Exam Papers

 

Exam Papers Online provides access to the collected degree examination papers of the University from 2004 onwards. They may be used by students as a study aid only.

The Library Subject Guide for Exams and Revision provides advice on how to get the most out of the Library and other University support for revising for and taking exams:

Academic Support Librarian

Highlights of Library collections

Civatates Orbis Terrarum

Civatates Orbis Terrarum, 1540 (1622)

Views of the great capitals of Mexico and Cusco at the time of the Spanish conquest: the only depictions of cities of the New World in the Civatates Orbis Terrarum. After p.58. Special Collections, *P.15.33

Cervantes

Cervantes. After the Spanish print engraved by D. F. Selmam 1853

Engraved portrait of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), author of Don Quixote. Over dinner with Captain Edward Cheney in Frascati on 1 May 1832, Scott claimed that it was Cervantes who first inspired in him the desire to excel in fiction. Special Collections, Corson P.464

Spanish translation of Old Mortality

Hermanos, coged al prisionero y quitadle la espada

Coloured illustration from a Spanish translation of Scott's novel Old Mortality, depicting Morton being taken prisoner by a band of Cameronians (Old Mortality, ch. 33). Special Collections, Corson A.11.TLI.OLD.2.a.1893

Independence Day parade, Mexico

Roslin Glass Slide - 'Independence Day, 16th September [Mexico]'

Photograph of an Independence Day parade on 16th September in Mexico in the early 20th century. Special Collections, GB 237 Coll-1434 (Box 16)

Related subject guides

Subject Guides from other disciplines may offer useful information, depending on the area of your research interest.