Guides @ UF: African Studies: Finding dissertations

Quick guide: dissertations

Use the following links (generally, in this order) to search for available dissertations and masters theses (full text online, in our collections, for purchase in print or available for Interlibrary Loan).

UF Libraries Catalog
Check our library holdings; we may own a copy of the thesis or dissertation you need.

UF Electronic Theses & Dissertations This link opens in a new window
Information page for UF's institutional theses and dissertations available in electronic format.

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
This database contains most US & Canadian dissertations, and is fast increasing its global coverage. Retrospective digitization is ongoing; UF subscribes to all available full text online. Any titles in print only must be purchased or borrowed via ILL.

Dissertations and Theses (WorldCat Discovery) This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive database of major academic and some small, specialized US library catalogs. Each institution's own dissertations and those they've collected from others will be listed, but not necessarily available for loan. Check the WorldCat main catalog to see if the title you want is available for Interlibrary Loan and provide ILL with the Accession Number in the comments box to expedite their search process. Consult with your librarian if you need assistance.

Center for Research Libraries
CRL with its component membership organizations is an important repository of specialized academic library materials. As a member institution, UF Libraries' patrons may borrow from their extensive manuscript archives, newspapers and foreign dissertations.
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CRL has as part of its mission to collect foreign dissertations. Previously, these were not cataloged but available on request, however, the policy has changed and these are now a priority to catalog and digitize. Request the assistance of your librarian to properly complete an ILL request for material at CRL.
Links to other universities' ETD pages
A collection of links to other universities' web pages with information and access to their Electronic Theses and Dissertations.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
An international organization that, through leadership and innovation, promotes the adoption, creation, use, dissemination and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations. The NDLTD encourages and supports the efforts of institutes of higher education and their communities to develop electronic publishing and digital libraries (including repositories), thus enabling them to share knowledge more effectively in order to unlock the potential benefits worldwide.
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An international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). We support electronic publishing and open access to scholarship in order to enhance the sharing of knowledge worldwide. Our website includes resources for university administrators, librarians, faculty, students, and the general public. Topics include how to find, create, and preserve ETDs; how to set up an ETD program; legal and technical questions; and the latest news and research in the ETD community.
Registry of Open Access Repositories
The Registry of Open Access Repositories (ROAR) maintains a list of sites with e-theses.
EThOS Electronic Theses Online System
Beta service for British theses, but not all UK institutions participate. Currently reporting a 90 day backlog for new digitization requests.
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EThOS now has 105 UK universities involved in the project and a total of 263,049 theses available, with almost 17,500 available for immediate download.
Theses Canada Portal
Approximately 300,000 records of theses and dissertations on microform in Library and Archives Canada's collection. Of these approximately 50,000 are also available electronically.
Index to Theses
A comprehensive listing of theses with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by universities in Great Britain and Ireland since 1716.
SUDOC Catalog
For French dissertations, «Système Universitaire de Documentation» (Sudoc) is a collective catalog created by higher education research libraries and resource centers. Among other formats and resources, Sudoc includes in its mission to list all dissertations/theses produced in France.

Accessing dissertations

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global‎ is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, spanning from 1743 to the present day and offering full text for graduate works added since 1997, along with selected full text for works written prior to 1997. It contains a significant amount of new international dissertations and theses both in citations and in full text.

The Smathers Library webpage Finding Other Theses and Dissertations provides more details for locating additional titles.

Feel free to contact your library disciplinary specialist if you need assistance or have any further questions.

African Studies Librarian

Dan Reboussin

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200C Smathers Library

UF African-related theses & dissertations

Includes items from 1956-2009, but author/keyword/department indexes only available to 2000, with annual supplements 2001-2009.