Included in this list are those periodical indexes to most useful for labor history. For contemporary information, indexes to newspapers such as the New York Times and general periodical indexes should also be consulted. The only source for current indexing of trade union newspapers is Work Related Abstracts (see under its earlier title of Labor-Personnel index) and the best source for industrial relations information. Call numbers are for the holdings of the Tamiment Library and may not apply to your local library.
Alternative Press Index. Baltimore: Alternative Press Centre, July/Dec. 1969-. "An index to alternative and radical publications." Currently indexing 235 journals, it also has abstracts from twenty of the journals in a separate section. Access is only by subject which makes it almost impossible to look for specific articles. The index is published four times a year. Since 1994, the fourth issue is an annual cumulation. Also available on CD-ROM.
America, History and Life. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, 1971- . Done ABC-Clio's standard format, this is an exhaustive index to articles, books, dissertations and reviews in U.S. and Canadian history, which will of course include labor history. Before 1971, these were covered in Historical Abstracts. Also available on CD-ROM.
Historical Abstracts. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, 1955-1970. This series covered world history from 1450 until 1971 when America: History and Life was spun off. This series was then divided into two based on historical time period: Historical Abstracts. Part A: Modern History Abstracts, 1450-1914. and Historical Abstracts. Part B: Twentieth Century Abstracts, 1914-. Also available on CD-ROM.
Index to Labor Periodicals. New York: Labor Research Department, Rand School of Social Science, 1926-1927; later Index to Labor Articles. New York: Labor Research Department, Rand School of Social Science, 1928-1953. This publication was started because the Reader's Guide and other indexes did not include union and socialist publications in their coverage. Initially appearing monthly, it indexed both union, socialist, and business journals to provide a more balanced coverage of issues of importance to labor. In addition to the subject index, each issue also lists the journals indexed. With the decline of the school and the growth of individual union research departments, the index was discontinued. It still provides the only published index of union publications for the years 1941-1950. Available on microfilm in the Tamiment Library shelved at Film R-7334 and also as part of Socialist Collections in the Tamiment Library, Film R-7124, Reel 53. Ann Arbor: UMI.
Labor-Personnel Index. Detroit: Information Service, 1951-1958; then Employment Relations Abstracts. Detroit: Information Coordinators, Inc., 1959-1972; and currently Work Related Abstracts. Detroit: Information Coordinators, 1973-87. Warren, MI.: Harmonie Park Press, 1988-. One of the few sources for indexing, much less abstracting, of union periodicals including approximately 250 publications from labor, government, management, and other sources. It follows a unique format and it cannot be stressed enough that users must read the forward and use the separately published biannual subject guides. In 1994 the format was changed reducing the number of categories from twenty to nine. This is a very important and valuable indexing source for union publications.
The Left Index. Santa Cruz: Left Index, 1982-. ISSN: 0733-2998. An index to periodicals on the left, which are important sources of information on contemporary labor struggles. Currently it indexes fifty-seven titles. Access is by author with indexes for subjects and journal titles, and a separate book review index. Issued quarterly.
Z 7164 L1 R4 Reynolds, Lloyd George and Charles C. Killingsworth. Trade Union Publications: The Official Journals, Convention Proceedings, and Constitutions of International Unions and Federations, 1850-1941. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1944-45. 3 volumes. This is a subject index to journals and convention proceedings of fifty international union and federations from the collections at Johns Hopkins University, the first university library to make an exhaustive effort to collect union publications. The indexing is not exhaustive but does include letters to the editor. Volume 1 is in two sections. Part I clearly describes the project and what was or was not indexed. Part II is a listing by industry of unions. Volume 1 has its own indexes to unions and subjects covered in these two parts. Each union entry gives the basic directory information followed by an evaluative section on its history and publications. Volumes 2 and 3 are the subject index to the union publications using fifteen hundred subject headings. T providing detailed access to the journals. There is a glossary of headings, explanation of the citation system, and a list of the unions indexed and their code numbers. An important and unique source of information.
University of Michigan Index to Labor Union Periodicals. Ann Arbor: Bureau of Industrial Relations, Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Michigan, 1960-1966. This index was begun at the initiative of the Committee of University Industrial Relations Librarians. Forty-one titles were indexed in 1960, eventually growing to fifty titles by its end. It was continued for three years by Michigan Index to Labor Union Periodicals.
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