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Latinx Studies: Library of Congress Resources

Research Strategies

The Library holds a variety of materials on Latinx communities, culture, and history in the United States, all of which can be located through the Library of Congress Online Catalog or the Library of Congress Digital Collections.

Searching the Library of Congress Online Catalog

Image of the LC Online Catalog Homepage

The Library of Congress Online Catalog is a great place to begin your research since it provides bibliographic descriptions for the vast majority of collection items available at the Library.

Types of Searches

  • Browse
    Use this search to find titles, authors/creators, subjects, call numbers, or standard numbers.
  • Advanced Search
    Use this search for a guided approach to building a more complex search combinging names, titles, subjects, and keywords as needed.
  • Keyword Search
    Use this search for a "one box" approach to find words and phrases anywhere in the catalog record or in title, author, or subject fields.

Using Search Limits

All searches can be narrowed down by adding filters to your search using the "Add Limits" button. Limit searches with the following options:

  • Years of Publication
  • Place of Publication
  • Location in the Library
  • Type of Material
  • Language

Finding Latinx resources in the Online Catalog

The fastest way to locate resources with the term "Latinx" anywhere in online catalog records is with a Keyword Search, which should yield these results.


Searching by Subject

To locate works on United States citizens of Latin American descent, start by browsing for Subjects beginning with Hispanic Americans. A list of linked subjects provide a quick way to access all records related by topic. A few examples include: 

Search specific geographic locations by adding a state or region following the subject such as Hispanic Americans--New Mexico or Hispanic Americans--Northwest, Pacific.

Searching the Library of Congress Digital Collections

The Library of Congress has been digitizing materials from its unique collections since the mid-1990s. The Library's homepage includes a search box as part of the header on the top right-hand corner. Use this box to search our digital collections.

It is also possible to browse a page showing all digital collections (by collection name):

Finding Latinx resources in the Digital Collections

While Latinx, US Latinas, Latinos, and Hispanos are used interchangeably, the Library of Congress uses the term "Hispanic Americans" as an authorized subject to describe many Latinx resources.

If you are searching for Latinx resources, search "Hispanic Americans" instead of "Latinx" or "US Latina/o" in any of the Library's search portals to get better results. You may also include a combined search of "Hispanic Americans" OR "Latinos" to include resources where the term Latino was used. See link examples below:

Librarians can help! Visit us in the Hispanic Reading Room (LJ 240), e-mail or call 202-707-5397.