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While searching, keep in mind that there are often many variant spellings for the same term (especially in Asian religions, such as Lao-Tzu /Lao-Tze/Laotse/Laotze/Laozi). Thus, if you are having trouble finding information, it can be helpful to try out multiple spellings.
Find Books, eBooks, and Movies
- Click here to search for books and media!This link will lead to an advanced search, so you can use as many or as few key terms as you want. For help with advanced searching, see our tutorial.
Can't find the book or article you want? Try Interlibrary Loan (ILL)! We also have an ILL FAQ for more info!
Find Background Information
General Background Sources:
- Credo Reference Academic Core This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive collection of subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks. Also included are short reference videos and high-resolution images. Useful background information source.
- Oxford Reference Online: Premium This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive collection of scholarly encyclopedias and dictionaries published by Oxford University Press. A useful background information source for starting your research. Simultaneous user limit: 5.
- Britannica Academic This link opens in a new windowProvides access to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, an interactive world atlas, a world data analyst tool, images, timelines, videos, and primary sources.
Discipline-Specific Background Sources:
Encyclopedia of Global ReligionCall Number: Online and Reference Main Level BL80.3.E52 2012ISBN: 9780761927297Publication Date: 2011-10-18
Encyclopedia of HinduismCall Number: Reference Main Level BL1105.E53 2008ISBN: 9780700712670Publication Date: 2008
Encyclopedia of ReligionCall Number: Online and Reference Main Level BL31.E46 2005ISBN: 0028657330Publication Date: 2004-12-17
New Catholic EncyclopediaCall Number: Online and Reference Main Level BX841.N44 2003ISBN: 9780787640040Publication Date: 2002
The New Encyclopedia of JudaismCall Number: Online and Reference Stacks Main Level BM50 .E63 2002ISBN: 184972394XPublication Date: 2009
Find Concordances, Interpretations, and Commentaries
Commentaries take readers through each passage, explain the meanings of the words and phrases, and discuss the major alternative interpretations. A concordance allows you to locate a scripture verse by looking up a specific word and directing you to the chapter and verse where that word is used.
The Holy BibleISBN: 0670887978Publication Date: 1999Containing all the books of the Old and New Testaments : King James version- Bible (online and searchable in 30+ versions)Call Number: Online
The New Interpreter's BibleCall Number: Reference Stacks Main Level BS491.2.N484ISBN: 0687278147Publication Date: 1994
Anchor Bible Commmentary SeriesISBN: 0385469284
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the BibleCall Number: Reference Main Level and Stacks Upper Level BS440 .O93 2011ISBN: 9780195377378Publication Date: 2011-11-182 volumes
Eerdmans Dictionary of the BibleCall Number: Ref BS440 .E44 2000ISBN: 0802824005Publication Date: 2000-09-01- Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by Call Number: Reference Stacks Main Level BS425.S8 1975 -Publication Date: 1894
- Arabic–English Transliteration GuideThis guide will help with different spellings and transliterations that can affect the results you get while searching on a topic. For example, sometimes it's "Qur'an," sometime's "Quran," and sometimes "Koran." If you're searching one spelling and not getting the results you want, try one of the others listed here.
The Study Quran by Call Number: Stacks Lower Level BP109 2017ISBN: 9780061125874Publication Date: 2017
The Qur'an: With a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation by Call Number: Stacks Lower Level BP109 2006BISBN: 0940368218Publication Date: 2007
Approaching the Qu'ran: The Early Revelations by Call Number: Stacks Lower Level BP130.4 .S43 1999ISBN: 1883991269Publication Date: 1999
Encyclopaedia of Islam, 3rd Ed.Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: Ongoing
Covers all aspects of the Islamic world: religion, history, culture, people. The third edition is an entirely new work from the previous editions. Please note: Because this encyclopedia has gone through enormous changes during its time in publication, you'll need to make sure you correctly cite the edition you used. For help citing different editions, check out our citation guides.- A Concordance of the Quran by Call Number: Reference Stacks Main Level BP133 .K37 1983ISBN: 0520044096Publication Date: 1983
Use Additional Online Resources
- American Scholars of Religion Video CollectionThe American Scholars of Religion Project is a collection of short commentaries or vignettes that preserve and illustrate the thinking and scholarly personality of a diverse sample of American scholars of religion. This video project was conceived, created and produced by Dr. Alfred Benney, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Fairfield University.
Cite Your Sources
Working on a big project and need help with citations? Try Zotero, a citation manager that connects with your browser to save full text, organize sources, and create citations. Don't have a lot of time? You can safely generate a citation using ZoteroBib!
Find Other Resources in the Academic Commons
The Library isn't the only resource available to you! The following departments are housed in the Library, but provide different services than the Librarians do:
- The Office of Accessibility
- The Fredrickson Family Innovation Lab
- Global Fairfield
- The ITS Help Desk
- The Math Center
- The Science Center
- The Writing Center
Course Guides in this Subject
Religious Studies Course Guides
Below is a list of this semester's Course Guides for this subject:
