People in Politics

1. Library Catalog - Find Books, Media and Pamphlets

PCC's online catalog is a database of books, media, pamphlets and course reserves located in the library's collection. To find resources in the library by subject, you will need a call number which is based on the Dewey Decimal Classification System and leads you to the specific item on the shelf. To find the call number, use the library's online catalog.

Basic Search

Use the Basic Search to look for an item using its exact subject heading, title or author's name (last, first). Select the type in the words.

To find information about a person, use Basic Search by subject.
To find information on a topic, use Basic Search by subject.

To search by subject, select 'Subject Search', then type in the subject heading.

Examples of subject headings:

  • United States Congress Biography
  • Presidents United States Biography

Check related subjects too:

  • Women in politics United States Biography
  • Vice-Presidents United States Biography

To search by title, select 'Title', then type in the first few words of the title. Skip the first word of the title if it is an article, e.g. 'a', 'an' or 'the'.

To search by author, select 'Author', then type in the author's last name, then first name, e.g. 'Gore, Albert'.

Advanced Search

If Basic Search is unsuccessful use Advanced Search to combine topics.

  • Examples: UNITED STATES HISTORY (phrase, subject) AND INDIANS (all, keyword) STAMP ACT (phrase,keyword)

Use the KEYWORD Search to look for an item using part of the title or to combine topics:
To search by keyword, type in the words you want to search for then select from the menu whether you want to search for ALL THE WORDS, ANY OF THE WORDS (e.g., RNA or ribonucleic acid), or the WORDS AS A PHRASE (e.g., chemical elements). You can also use the KEYWORD search to combine topics.

Examples of combined searches:

Search for: Molecule molecular [any of these words], Search in: [ Subject]
AND
Search for: Architecture structure [any of these words], Search in: [Keyword Anywhere]

Search for: Mass spectrometry [as a phrase], Search in: [Keyword Anywhere]
AND
Search for: Prichard Davis [all of these], Search in: [Author Name]

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2. Reference Books

Basically, there are two kinds of reference books: general resources, which are broad in scope and deal with all fields; and specialized resources, which deal with specific disciplines such as political science or government.  The titles cited below are only a representative sample of many specialized reference books that are available in the library.  Our reference titles are located on the second (main) floor of the library.  Items located in "Ready REF" are located behind the librarians at the reference desk.

Biographical Sources: General

REF 923.273 A 3 2000   American Political Leaders 1789-2000
1 volume.  Quick fact finder includes: presidents, vice presidents, cabinet members, supreme court justices, members of congress and governors. Presidential nationalities, religious affiliation.

REF 920.01 C 1   Current Biography
Library has volumes from 1940 on.  Use the cumulated index for 1940-1995. The volume for 2000 has an index for 1991-2000.  The 2006 volume has an index for 2001-2006.

REF 920.073 D 1-2  Dictionary of American Biography
10 volumes , 10 supplements, with index; covers deceased Americans only.

Ready REF 920 C 3  Newsmakers
Library has volumes from 1985 – current year (2006).  Use the index at the end of the most current issue to identify the year/issue in which your individual is covered.

REF 920.7208968 N 1  Notable Hispanic American Women
Through 1997; two volumes with subject index.

REF 920.7 P 4   Prominent Women of the 20th Century
4 volumes.  Alphabetically organized, with listing by fields of endeavor, nationality/ethnicity.

REF 920.073 S 9 Scribner’s Encyclopedia of American Lives
5 volumes and growing.  Notable Americans who have died in five year periods (vol 1: 1981-1985.  vol 2: 1986-1990 etc.)

Ready REF 920.1 W 1-2 Index  Who Was Who in America
Covers deceased Americans only from 1607-1989.  Only the index is in Ready Reference.

REF 920.9 W 1  Who’s Who Among African Americans
One volume, 2005.

 

National Personalities

Ready REF 328.738 A 1 2006 The Almanac of American Politics
Covers governors and current members of congress. The 2006 edition is in Ready REF.  The 2004 edition is shelved in the reference section.

Ready REF 328.738 C 1  Congressional Quarterly’s Politics in America: 2006, the 107th Congress.  Good coverage of Congress, governors, and state governments; also good sketches of the demographic make-up and personality of each district, with many current statistics.

REF 320.082 E 1 Encyclopedia of Women in American Politics
Biographies of suffragists, feminists, campaign activists, and women candidates for office.  Appendix 1:  speeches and documents.

Ready REF 328.738 US 1 Official Congressional Directory 2005-2006: 107th Congress
A government publication with information about the executive branch. Previous volumes, 1979-2000, are shelved in the reference section.

REF 923.173 D 1 2005 The Presidents, First Ladies and Vice Presidents
White House biographies, 1789-2005.

 

State and Local Individuals

Ready REF 351.2 C 6 2003 California Public Sector
A comprehensive directory of state, federal, county and local governments in California.

Ready REF 3520794 C 3 2001 The California Local Government Directory.
Lists the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the top officials in every California city and county.

Ready REF 352/0794 L 3 2006  Los Angeles County Almanac
Politicians from the congressional, state and county levels who serve LA County.  Holdings from 2004-2005 are in the TR Locked Case (Ask at the Reference Desk)

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3. Databases and Indexes - Find Articles

The library subscribes to several databases which will have periodicals and reference information on politics and political figures. 

  • Use Proquest Direct, a database of periodical articles, to find magazine, journal, and newspaper articles.   As with the catalog, search under a variety of terms (keywords, names, etc.) Use Proquest also for access to the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and New York Times.
  • Use SIRS, a database of both periodicals and government resources. Look under "Government Reporter", Domestic Affairs, Education, or search by government department (eg. Education Department).
  • Encyclopedia Britannica Online Web based version of Encyclopedia Britannica.  Includes the complete encyclopedia, as well as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the Britannica Book of the Year, and an Internet directory that includes more than 130,000 links to Web sites selected, rated, and reviewed by Britannica editors.
  • Discovering Collection  Includes comprehensive and engaging essays on social history, government and politics.
  • CQ Researcher  Excellent source for finding information on specific legislation and executive orders both current and historic.   Relates executive, congressional and judicial action to contemporary topics of social concern.
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4. Resources on the World Wide Web

Finding reliable information on the web can be difficult.
Use the Librarians' Index to the Internet www.lii.org or see recommended websites below.

Project Vote Smart
http://www.vote-smart.org

Biographical information, Interest group ratings, Public statements, Campaign finances, Issue positions, Voting records for President, Congress, Governors and State legislators.

United States Congress
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

Write to the United States Congress, view current legislation, or find information about your representatives by ZIP code, alphabetically, state or with a name search.

White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov

Press releases, briefings, radio addresses, White House documents, Cabinet, FAQ and services from the Federal government.  Includes the history of the White House, past presidents and families.

United States Government Printing Office
http://www.access.gpo.gov/
With links to the Federal Register, the Congressional Record, the Congressional Directory and the U.S. Code, this site provides one-stop shopping for U.S. government documents.
California Government Home Page
http://www.ca.gov/state/portal/myca_homepage.jsp
 Find information about your elected officials, California courts, State government

services & Agencies, local government, voting & elections, laws, codes, and regulations.

Official California Legislative Information
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov

Links to Bill information, California Constitution, California Codes (no annotations, California Statutes and Your Legislature; includes Assembly and Senate Members’ Addresses and Home Pages, Organization of the Legislature, and Legislative Process Information).

League of Women Voters of California
http://www.ca.lwv.org
Relates extensive information about voting, contacting political representatives, and running for office for which the League is so widely respected.
Smart Voter
http://www.smartvoter.org

Maintained by The League of Women Voters.  This site is more specifically focused on California elections.

Los Angeles County
http://www.lavote.net/

Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk – Voting District Inquiry

City of Pasadena - City Council Members/Districts
http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/citycouncil.asp

Click on the district number/area of the map for contact information.

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last updated: 04/02/2007 by P. Johnson revision #1