French and Italian studies collections serve a wide range of programs and institutes, many of which have their own sites on the World Wide Web. Major constituencies include the History Department, the Departments of French and Italian, Comparative Literature, and the Stanford Humanities Center, as well as scholars in other departments and research centers in the humanities and social sciences, including other departments in the DLCL (Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages).

Overview of curatorial fields

Green Library’s collections in French and Italian studies provide resources for a variety of programs and disciplines, with material in a full spectrum of formats, including books, manuscripts, microfilm, data files, online services, and information on the use of those collections and related services. With a central focus on language, literature, and history, the collections extend as well into the culture, society, and politics of France, Italy, and Francophone Belgium and Switzerland. Francophone literature of Canada is included in the curator’s fields, while material from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia are mainly covered by other selectors. French and Italian studies also play a significant part in disciplines within the scope of other bibliographers, notably Medieval studies. Among the other helpful sites for wider study of Francophone material or of allied disciplines are African studies collections in SUL and Hoover, International government organizations, the Stanford Libraries Department of Special Collections, and the descriptions of Art and Music collections.

To help with the use of French and Italian studies collections, the curator regularly offers a course in research methods and works within other undergraduate and graduate courses and in individual consultations to introduce students to Stanford’s resources. Samples of syllabi and course handouts are available on request.