The Transportation Experience in America
A Research Guide

Browsing and Searching Guide

The majority of materials listed in this guide can be found in the Wells Library Research Collection (located in the east tower) and at the Business/SPEA library. Relevant resources can also be found at the HPER and Geography-Map libraries. When browsing the shelves, the following class numbers (and those in the vicinity) will prove fruitful:

GV1021 -- Automobile travel
HE151 -- Transportation
HE203 -- Transportation—United States
HE305 -- Urban transportation
HE4451 -- Local transit—United States
HE5611 -- Transportation, Automotive
HE5623 -- Transportation, Automotive—United States
TL23 -- Automobiles—United States—History

When searching the catalog (either IUCAT or WorldCat), the following subject terms (taken from the Library of Congress Subject Headings) will yield the best results:

  • Automobile driving
  • Automobile parking
  • Automobile ownership
  • Automobiles
  • Commuting
  • Express highways
  • Interstate Highway System
  • Local transit
  • Railroads
  • Residential mobility
  • Roads
  • Transportation
  • Transportation and state
  • Transportation, Automotive
  • Urban transportation
  • Urbanization
  • Urbanization

The above terms can be combined with each other or with the keywords listed below to refine search results further.

  • --Economic aspects
  • --Energy conservation
  • --Energy consumption
  • --Environmental aspects
  • --Health aspects
  • --Passenger traffic
  • --Psychological aspects
  • --Public opinion
  • --Social aspects
  • --United States

The following databases and indexes provide a wealth of information on transportation. The discipline-specific databases support specialized perspectives (American studies, political science, psychology, sociology, etc.), while Web of Science offers the widest array of articles.