Latin American & Caribbean Studies

The University of Michigan Library’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies Collection is a prominent and extensive repository of scholarly and cultural materials that offers comprehensive coverage of the social sciences, humanities, and beyond, pertaining to Latin America, the Caribbean, and the broader Latina/o diaspora. This interdisciplinary collection spans a multitude of formats, including monographs, periodicals, archival documents, microforms, maps, audiovisuals, and digital resources, each selected to provide students, faculty, and researchers with a wide array of perspectives and insights into the cultures, histories, and contemporary issues of these diverse regions.

With a focus on depth and breadth, our collection encompasses materials in multiple languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French, and indigenous languages, such as Quechua, Aymara, Nahua, Maya and Guaraní ensuring that the collection offers authentic voices and primary sources from the regions themselves. We aim to provide comprehensive and up-to-date resources that facilitate critical engagement with the past, present, and future of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Our collection features primary and secondary sources, offering insights into indigenous cultures, colonial histories, postcolonial developments, social justice movements, human rights, gender and sexuality, migration, environmental issues, economic development, and more. We actively seek materials that amplify underrepresented voices and perspectives from the region.

While the collection primarily contains resources in the humanities and social sciences housed in the Hatcher Graduate Library, Latin American & Caribbean titles may also be found in libraries such as Museums, Science, and Public Health. The Special Collections Library contains important collections such as the Cuban Hand-made Books Collection and the Labadie Collection of materials on "social protest," with a significant portion directly related to Latin American & Caribbean Studies. In additions, the Clements Library of research materials on the conquest and colonial history of the Americas is rich in rare printed books and valuable manuscripts.

The collection continues to grow, working in concert with academic departments, research centers, and community organizations, and benefits from the input of subject specialists dedicated to curating and expanding this invaluable resource. Through this concerted effort, the University of Michigan Library ensures that the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Collection remains an indispensable tool for scholarship, education, and cross-cultural engagement within the university community and beyond.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our knowledgeable librarians and staff for assistance in navigating and accessing the resources in our collection. We are dedicated to supporting your research and learning needs in Latin American and Caribbean Studies