Recommended Sites
The following websites are gateways for locating and accessing information on Belize’s history. The listing is laid out in four themes:
- The Online Databases are websites which allow you to search for specific topics on Belize and world history.
- The Library and Archival Sources refers to national institutions that provide information and services on Belize’s history.
- The Belize Images are a list of websites that allow users to locate historic images of Belize.
- The General Resources features information, tools, and resources that will be useful to learn about Belize and world history.
Online Databases
The following are a few of the many online databases and university websites which hold information on Belize’s history.
Contact the BNLSIS
P.O. Box 287
Princess Margaret Dr.
Belize City
EBSCOhost is the world’s most-used reference resource. It is a customizable, intuitive search experience designed to cater to user needs and preferences at every level of research. Once signed in users can find digitized articles on a variety of general and academic topics. Users can search, browse, and download articles from more than 4,600 journals. In order to access the database for free, Belizean must contact the The Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS).
The Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) is a cooperative digital library for resources from and about the Caribbean. dLOC provides access to digitized versions of Caribbean cultural, historical and research materials currently held in archives, libraries, and private collections. The Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS) is a contributor to dLOC. Users can search, browse, and download colonial reports, maps, postcards, books, newspapers and stamps.
Google Scholar provides a simple way to search for scholarly information. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. When possible, Google will provide a PDF link for the search results. Users can also use the search results to locate books at local libraries. Go ahead and search for “Belize history” or for your specific research topic and let Google be your research buddy.
The Internet Archive is a non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library. The Internet Archive includes: texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections. Users will find valuable information such as eBooks by searching “Belize” in their various collections. No registration is required and majority of the information can be downloaded for free
Library and Archival Sources
Central Campus Library
P.O. Box 340
Belmopan City
Belize
Central America
Click Here for Other Addresses
With a book stock of approximately 45,000, the University of Belize (UB) Library houses numerous collections to facilitate students with the resources to aid in their research needs. The only circulating collections are the General and Juvenile collections. The non-circulating collections include the Audio/Visual, Textbook, UB Archives, Human Rights, Theses, and the Belize Collection, among others. To view their collection, users can perform searches on their KOHA Database. You do not need to login to search the catalog.
BNLSIS
P.O. Box 287
Princess Margaret Dr.
Belize City
Click Here for Other Addresses
The Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS) is committed to the promotion of an informed, aware and literate society that fosters Belize’s national development and cultural heritage. They hold an extensive collection of local, regional, and international books, encyclopedias, articles, and other materials. On their website, users can find information on Belize’s ethnic groups, Belizean biographies, and access their digital collection.
26/28 Unity Blvd
Belmopan
Belize
Phone: (501)822-2097
The Belize Archives and Records Service is a government agency which is committed to acquiring, preserving, and providing information on Belize’s history. BARS houses the nation’s largest collection of pre-colonial and post-colonial reports, maps, land documents, academic papers, microfilm, microfiche, and audio-visual materials, among others. Their website is currently under construction but users are advised to visit their office and connect with them on their social media to browse their rich collection.
Museum Building
Mountain View Blvd
Belmopan City
Belize C.A
The National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) is Belize’s premier cultural institution dedicated to creating an enabling environment for the development, conservation, promotion, expression and accessibility of culture in all its diversity. NICH is comprised of the following institutions: Institute of Archaeology (IA); Institute of Creative Arts (ICA); Museums of Belize and Houses of Culture (MOB/HOC); and the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR). Each of its branches houses a collection of publications and other resources related to Belize’s history. On their website, users can find information about the latest events organized, publications, a timeline of Belize’s history, Belize ethnic groups, archaeological sites, and other resources.
Belize Images
Neil Fraser was born in Belize on September 6, 1931. He was the youngest of four children born to C.N. Fraser, an engineer from Glasgow, Scotland who came to the then crown colony in 1911. Prior to his passing, he cataloged and distributed his extensive collection of historic photographs of Belize dating from to his grandfather’s days at the turn of the century to his last Belize visit in 1961. His images are open for non-commercial educational use.
A variety of images from the Colonial Office library collection (CO 1069) and the Central Office of Information British Empire collection (INF 10) have been made available online so that users can comment, tag and share them easily. This will allow the Archives to better catalog the images. The images feature a variety of Caribbean nations, including 205 images categorized under a Belize album.
www.flickr.com/photos/nationalarchives/collections
www.flickr.com/photos/nationalarchives/sets
General Resources
PBS’ is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to create “content that educates, informs and inspires”. Their interactive website holds plenty of resources for kids, parents, and teachers. They have an array of history documentaries and provide short history guides on how to do a family history and archival research, among other techniques.
