Starting Your Research

Selected Web Sites

Selected News Web Sites

Search Engines

Suggested Search Terms

Finding Information in the MSU Libraries

Selected Books on Hurricanes and Natural Disasters Held by MSU Libraries

MSU Web Sites Related to Hurricane Katrina

Starting Your Research on Hurricane Katrina

This guide provides links to both library and Web resources suggested for beginning your research on Hurricane Katrina which occurred in August 2005. Please note: When researching current events, such as Hurricane Katrina, you will not always be able to find scholarly material (i.e., research studies and articles published in scholary journals). It can take years to get research done and published. In order to write papers on Hurricane Katrina, in addition to finding older materials on hurricanes in general, you may need to use Web resources. A few suggested Web resources for starting your research are listed below.

In addition to these online resources, many hurricane and tragedy related books can be found in the MSU Libraries. A selection of these are listed below. To find additional books on this topic in the MSU Libraries see the instructions below on how to search in MAGIC (the online catalog).

Selected Web Sites

The following Web sites have been evaluated for credibility and are recommended for beginning your hurricane research. Remember, when using the Web, you need to evaluate material according to the same criteria used to evaluate print resources (accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage). For more details and help on evaluating Web sites, see: Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial (University of California Berkley Library) and Evaluating Web Resources (Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University).

General Resources:

• Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA)
  Information about Hurricane Katrina relief agency efforts.
• MeL: Hurricane Katrina
  Internet resources about Hurricane Katrina from the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL).
• Hurricane Katrina Information Resources from Louisiana State University
  Contains a wealth of various links to information and resources.
• Hurricane Katrina (from Wikipedia)
  A good summary of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Please note: anyone can edit or create entries in Wikipedia (click here for more information)
• Geaux Library Project
  The Geaux Library Project will attempt to meet the information needs at hurricane evacuee shelters around Louisiana and beyond. Using computers and networking equipment donated to the Red Cross and others by large commercial and local IT companies, we will be setting up small computer labs at Red Cross shelters and staffing them with librarians and other trained volunteers. Please visit their website for additional information.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ACSE)
  Provides details on findings of the ASCE levee assessment team sent to New Orleans to gather data on the levee breaches caused by Hurricane Katrina. The team has since released a public statement available at this site describing its initial observations concerning the performance of the levee system during and after Hurricane Katrina.

Weather/Meterological Resources:

• National Hurricane Center / Tropical Prediction Center
  Official source for world-wide tropical predictions, current satellite images in infrared and visual spectra, storm advisories, and warnings.
• Hurricanes: Nature's Greatest Storms
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's home page on Hurricanes.
• Hurricanes, Typhoons & Tropical Cyclones Worldwide
  Current information from the University of Hawaii on the status of current storms as well as historical data, charts, and graphs.
• Weather Watch: Hurricanes
  Website created by Scholastic Magazines for teachers to use in the classroom.

Public Health/Survivor Resources:

• CDC Information on Hurricanes
  Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides information on all aspects of health, safety, and emergency preparedness for hurricanes with specific information on Hurricane Katrina.
• Mercy Corps
  Mercy Corps was founded in 1979 as Save the Refugees Fund in response to the plight of peoples in Cambodia. By the mid-1980s their mission was broaden to the world and the name was changed to Mercy Corps. They are providing assistance to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
• The Pan American Health Organization
  A regional office of the World Health Organization, offering a number of links especially for health topics associated with Hurricane Katrina as well as an international perspective.

Animal Resources:

• American Veterinary Medical Association Response to Katrina
  The AVMA has organized a disaster response plan to help provide for the needs of animals stranded by Katrina.
• Humane Society of the United States
  The Humane Society and many of its chapters have put plans in place to aid pets stranded by Katrina.
• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  ASPCA is providing assistance for animals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
• Louisana State University Veterinary Medicine School, Baton Rouge, LA
  The veterinary school is providing housing, food, and medical care for pets whose owners are displaced until they can be reunited. They are also housing horses in need of shelter as a result of Katrina.
• IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)
  IFAW is an international organization that has also moblized its resources to aid pets affected by Katrina.
• United Animal Nations
  Is providing Emergency Animal Rescue Service volunteers to rescue animals stranded by Katrina. They are working in conjunction with other organizations such as IFAW.

Donations and Charities:

• Hurricane Relief Donations
  A Michigan government listing of places accepting donations.
• American Institute of Philanthropy
  "The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) is a nationally prominent charity watchdog service whose purpose is to help donors make informed giving decisions."
• Charity Navigator
  "Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."

Selected News Web Sites

All of us have our own favorite sources for news—radio, TV, print, or Web.  As with other Web pages, you will need to evaluate the news source.  While news sources attempt to be objective, many will be considered to be conservative or liberal.  The list below contains just a few places you can go for news online.  While most are from the United States, looking at news from other countries will provide a different viewpoint and perspective on what is happening in the world.

• CNN.com
  
• ABCNews
  
• CBSNews.com
  
• MSNBC News
  
• Fox News
• New Orleans Times – Picayune
  Access to nola.com - everything New Orleans - the portal for the New Orleans newspaper and their daily blog and pictures
  
• New York Times (via LexisNexis)
  Provides the full text of articles in the NYT from 1980-present. A subscription-based resource available through the MSU Libraries.
  
• Christian Science Monitor
  
• Wall Street Journal (via Factiva)
  Provides the full text of articles in the WSJ from 1984-present. A subscription-based resource available through the MSU Libraries.
  
• BBC News
  This is the primary news source from the United Kingdom.
• cbc.ca
  This is the primary news source from Canada.
• LexisNexis
  Provides access to the full text of U.S. and world newspapers. A subscription-based resource available through the MSU Libraries.

Search Engines

There are many search engines that can be used in your research. To be effective in your search and thorough, you should use more than one. Search engines search the Web in different ways, and each engine returns slighlty different results for the same terms. It is useful to look at the help screens of each search engine to find the most efficient way to use it.

• Search Engine Showdown
  The User's Guide to Web Searching. This Web page provides a nice comparison of search engines.
• Best Search Engines Quick Guide
  This page provides a good comparison of three search engines.
• Web Search Engine Comparison Chart
  From Valencia Community College, provides several comparison charts of search engines and directories.

Suggested Search Terms

There are many terms that can be used when searching for hurricane information.  Some key terms would be:

Any and all of the terms could be used in searching. The more terms used the fewer Web pages will be returned. It is often best to start with a few key terms and then narrow it down from there. Using the proper punctuation and consulting the help screens for each search engine will improve retrieval.

Finding Information in the MSU Libraries

In addition to finding information on the Web about Hurricane Katrina, it is a good idea to find articles written on past hurricanes and related issues in books, magazines, newspapers, and journals.

Articles:

To find ARTICLES in magazines, journals, and newspapers, see: Finding Periodical Articles in the MSU Libraries.

Note: When searching for articles, you may have to alter your search by using some broader and related terms such as those listed above.

To find more scholary articles written on past hurricanes and related issues, try these indexes first:

• ProQuest for general and interdisciplinary topics
• Biological Abstracts (BA) for all areas of biology, especialy plant science, zoology, and ecology
• Medline for areas like biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, and molecular biology
• Environmental Issues and Policy Index for environmental studies
  
• PsycINFO including PsycARTICLES (ERL on WebSPIRS/SilverPlatter) for all aspects of psychology and related sociology and anthropology topics
• America History and Life for historical topics
• Compendex for engineering and related topics
  

Books:

To find BOOKS in the MSU Libraries, use MAGIC, the Online Catalog. For more detailed instruction on MAGIC, see the MAGIC Online Catalog Tutorial.

Note: When searching MAGIC, you may want to try a subject search using the following term(s):

Hurricanes Hurricanes -- Gulf Coast US hurricanes -- Gulf States Hurricanes -- United States -- Safety Measures Natural Disasters Mass Media and Race relations -- United States

Crisis Management Flood Relief Disaster Relief Waterborne Infection Floodplains Human-animal relationships Bereavement in Children

Selected Books on Hurricanes and Natural Disasters Held by MSU Libraries

Disaster technology. (2000). [videorecording]. New York: The History Channel ; distributed by New Video,.
MSU DIGITAL/MEDIA, 4 WEST GB5014 .D57 2000 Videocassette

Alexander, D. (2000). Confronting catastrophe : new perspectives on natural disasters. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY GB5014 .A46 2000

Bankoff, G., Frerks, G., & Hilhorst, D. (2004). Mapping vulnerability : disasters, development, and people. London ; Sterling, VA: Earthscan Publications.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY HV553 .M27 2004

Benson, C., & Clay, E. J. (2004). Understanding the economic and financial impacts of natural disasters. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HV5512 .D582 no.4

Bloland, P. B., Williams, H. A., Roundtable on the Demography of Forced Migration., National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Population., & Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health. Program on Forced Migration and Health. (2003). Malaria control during mass population movements and natural disasters. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY RA644.M2 B566 2003

Bradshaw, S., & United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2004). Socio-economic impacts of natural disasters : a gender analysis. Santiago de Chile: United Nations.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HC123 .S475 no.32

Burt, C. C. (2004). Extreme weather : a guide & record book (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QC983 .B78 2004

Collier, M., & Webb, R. H. (2002). Floods, droughts, and climate change. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QC981 .C677 2002

Colten, Craig E. (2005). An Unnatural Metropolis: Wresting New Orleans from Nature. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.
MSU PLANNING & DESIGN LIBRARY GF504.L8 C65 2005

Deare, F., United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Women and Development Unit., & United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2004). A methodological approach to gender analysis in natural disaster assessment : a guide for the Caribbean. Santiago de Chile: Naciones Unidas United Nations, CEPAL.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HC123 .S475 no.31

Dilley, M. (2005). Natural disaster hotspots : a global risk analysis. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HV5512 .D582 no.5

Dosi, C., & United Nations. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Environment and Human Settlements Division. (2001). Environmental values, valuation methods, and natural disaster damage assessment. Santiago, Chile: CEPAL/ECLAC.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HC130.E5 S47 no.37

Durschmied, E. (2001). The weather factor : how nature has changed history (1st U.S. ed.). New York: Arcade Publ. : Distributed by Warner Trade Publ.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY D24 .D875 2001

Elsner, J. B., & Kara, A. B. (1999). Hurricanes of the North Atlantic : climate and society. New York: Oxford University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QC945 .E46 1999

Fry, K. (2003). Constructing the heartland : television news and natural disaster. Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY PN4888.T4 F78 2003

Gass, V., & Washington Office on Latin America. (2002). Democratizing development : lessons from Hurricane Mitch reconstruction. Washington, DC: Washington Office on Latin America.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY HC141.Z9 D454 2002

Grant-talk (Project), CurrentRutledge., & Ford Foundation. (2002). Opportunities from the unpredictable Hurricane Mitch [videorecording :]. New York: Ford Foundation,.
MSU DIGITAL/MEDIA, 4 WEST HV555.N5 O6 2002 Videocassette

Grossi, P., Kunreuther, H., & Patel, C. C. (2005). Catastrophe modeling : a new approach to managing risk. New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media.
MSU BUSINESS LIBRARY HD61 .C375 2005

Havenaar, J. M., Cwikel, J., & Bromet, E. J. (2002). Toxic turmoil : psychological and societal consequences of ecological disasters. New York: Kluwer Academic.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY RA645.9 .T69 2002

Hearn, P. D. (2004). Hurricane Camille : monster storm of the Gulf Coast. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY F347.G9 H43 2004

Kreimer, A., Arnold, M., & Carlin, A. (2003). Building safer cities : the future of disaster risk. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HV5512 .D582 no.3

Kusky, T. M. (2003). Geological hazards : a sourcebook. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QE501.3 .K795 2003

La Greca, A. M. (2002). Helping children cope with disasters and terrorism. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY RJ506.P66 H45 2002

McGuire, B., Mason, I., & Kilburn, C. R. J. (2002). Natural hazards and environmental change. London New York: Arnold ; co-published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY GE149 .M34 2002 DUE 09-28-05

Miller, E. W., & Miller, R. M. (2000). Natural disasters : floods : a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
MSU REFERENCE, 1 EAST GB1399.3 .M56 2000 LIB USE ONLY

Minhinnick, R. (2002). After the hurricane. Manchester: Carcanet.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY PR6063.I48 A373 2002

Murnane, R. J., & Liu, K.-b. (2004). Hurricanes and typhoons : past, present, and future. New York: Columbia University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QC944 .H92 2004

North Carolina. Division of Emergency Management., & United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2000). Hazard mitigation in North Carolina measuring success : sustainable housing, sustainable business, sustainable infrastructure, sustainable environment [microform :]. [Raleigh, N.C. Washington, D.C.: North Carolina Emergency Management Division ;
Federal Emergency Management Agency,.
MSU GOV DOCS US FICHE, 3 W FEM 1.2:H 33/2 CHECK DRAWER

Ochi, M. K. (2003). Hurricane-generated seas. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY GC211.2 .O28 2003

Organisation for Economic, C.-o., & Development. (2004). Educational facilities and risk management : natural disasters. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W LB2864.5 .E38 2004
GOV DOCS ELECTRONIC RESOURCE LB2864.5 .E38 2004 Online ELECTRONIC

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2004). Large-scale disasters : lessons learned. Paris, France: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HC79.D45 L37 2004
GOV DOCS ELECTRONIC RESOURCE HC79.D45 L37 2004 Online ELECTRONIC

Pelling, M. (2003). The vulnerability of cities : natural disasters and social resilience. London ; Sterling, VA: Earthscan Publications.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY HT243.D44 P45 2003

Pelling, M. (2003). Natural disasters and development in a globalizing world. London ; New York: Routledge.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY HD75 .N396 2003

Reice, S. R. (2001). The silver lining : the benefits of natural disasters. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QH545.N3 R45 2001

Sheets, B., & Williams, J. (2001). Hurricane watch : forecasting the deadliest storms on Earth (1st ed.). New York: Vintage Books.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY QC944 .S533 2001

Steinberg, T. (2000). Acts of God : the unnatural history of natural disaster in America. New York: Oxford University Press.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY GB5007 .S74 2000

United Nations Development Programme. Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery. (2004). Reducing disaster risk : a challenge for development. New York: United Nations Development Programme, Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery.
MSU GOVDOC INT'L DOCS, 3 W HC79.D45 R43 2004

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Financial Services. Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. (2003). Government and industry efforts to protect our money during blackouts, hurricanes, and other disasters : hearing before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, first session, October 20, 2003. Washington: U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. LIB OF MICH US DOCS Y 4.F 49/20:108-58
MSU GOV DOCS US FICHE, 3 W Y 4.F 49/20:108-58 CHECK DRAWER
GOV DOCS ELECTRONIC RESOURCE Y 4.F 49/20:108-58 Online ELECTRONIC

United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Subcommittee on Economic Development Public Buildings and Emergency Management. (2004). The federal response to Hurricane Isabel : hearing before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, first session, October 7, 2003, Yorktown, Virginia. Washington: U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.
MSU GOV DOCS US FICHE, 3 W Y 4.T 68/2:108-46 CHECK DRAWER

United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2000). Planning for a sustainable future : the link between hazard mitigation and livability. [Washington, D.C.]: Federal Emergency Management Agency.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W FEM 1.2:P 69

United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2003). National Hurricane Operations Plan... Fcm-P12-2003... U.S. Department of Commerce... May 2003. [S.l.: s.n. 2003?].
MSU GOV DOCS US FICHE, 3 W C 55.12:FCM-P 12-2003 CHECK DRAWER

United States. National Weather Service. (2000). Is your community ready when the weather changes? Silver Spring, MD (1325 East-West Highway, Silver Spring 20910): U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W C 55.102:W 37/5

United States. National Weather Service. (2000). Hurricane flooding : a deadly inland danger : think inland flooding. [Washington, D.C.?]: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W C 55.2:H 94/8

United States. National Weather Service. (2002). Floods : the awesome power. [Silver Spring, Md.]: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W C 55.102:F 65/10
GOV DOCS ELECTRONIC RESOURCE C 55.102:F 65/10 Online ELECTRONIC

United States. National Weather Service. (2003). Hurricanes, unleashing nature's fury : a preparedness guide (Rev. Apr. 2003. ed.). [Silver Spring, Md.?] [Washington, D.C.?]: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration American Red Cross.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W C 55.108:H 94/3/2003

United States. Office of Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. (2001). Toward a safer America : building natural hazard resistant communities through risk management and assessments. Silver Spring, Md. (8455 Colesville Rd, Suite 1500, Silver Spring 20910): Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research.
MSU GOV DOCS US DOCS, 3 W C 55.2:P 94/9

Wisner, B. (2004). At risk : natural hazards, people's vulnerability and disasters (2nd ed.). Routledge ; New York: Routledge.
MSU MAIN LIBRARY GB5014 .A82 2004

MSU Web Sites Related to Hurricane Katrina

• Office of the President - Michigan State University
  President Lou Anna Simon's thoughts on the hurricane disaster.
• MSU Katrina Relief Efforts
  The basic Web site at MSU for information on the University's relief efforts.
  
• Michigan Animal Aid to Hurricane Katrina
  Information on the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital team of veterinarians, veterinary technicians and students assisting in animal care and rescue in Louisiana.