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University of Minnesota

Kathryn A. Martin Library

MLA Strategies and Solutions

This guide is meant to help fill the gap left by the cancellation of the MLA International Bibliography and the MLA Directory of Periodicals. While this cannot be a one-for-one replacement of the databases, it serves as a guide for research.

Introduction and Purpose

This guide was born out of a need to find strategies and solutions for research after the cancellation of the MLA International Bibliography and the MLA Directory of Periodicals. The Kathryn A. Martin Library canceled these databases in the summer of 2025 in response to significant budget cuts. While there is no single one-for-one replacement for these resources, this guide attempts to fill the hole by offering search strategies, alternative databases, and research advice.

Use the tabs on the left side of the screen to navigate the different pages of the guide. 

This guide continues to be a work in progress. If you have any strategies, tips, or ideas that you feel would be helpful for other colleagues to use, please contact Sam Wolf at wolf0631@d.umn.edu so that she may add it to the guide. This is going to be an ongoing, collaborative effort.