Social Welfare: A Research Guide
Researchers looking for information about social welfare may be interested in research materials that discuss how such social welfare assists people with drug addiction, mental illness, poor housing, and provide counseling to neglected or abused children or the elderly—or the impact of such ills on society. Researchers may also be seeking contact information for agencies that provide the services that counsel, support, or provide guidance to people in need. This research guide will provide some of the basic resources to help you get started. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library’s catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.
Reference Books
Encyclopedia of Social Work, 19th edition. 3 vols. Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers, 1997. ISSN: 00710237.
Provides an overview of more than 240 social welfare topics and definitions for social welfare and related terminology. Useful bibliographies at the end of each article. Includes biographies of prominent persons in the social work field, the NASW code of ethics, a chronology of the field, and acronyms.
The Social Work Dictionary, 4th ed. by Robert L. Barker. Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers, 1999. ISBN: 0871012987.
Definitions for more than 5,000 terms, concepts, organizations, laws and historic events in the areas of social work administration, research, policy development, planning, community organization, human growth and development, health and mental health, clinical theory and practice. Also contains NASW Code of Ethics, state boards regulating social work.
Social Workers’ Desk Reference edited by Albert R. Roberts and Gilbert J. Greene. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN: 019514211X.
Covers the full spectrum of social work practice, focusing on the needs of frontline practitioners in private, nonprofit, and public settings (case managers, clinical social workers, supervisors, and administrators). It provides key tools and resources, such as best practices, program evaluations, step-by-step treatment plans, and validated assessment scales.
Periodical Indexes
Social Service Abstracts. Bethesda, MD: Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. Monthly. ISSN: 03094693.
www.csa2.com
Subscription service provides selective coverage of more than 1500 journals in the human services and related topics. Monthly publication.
Social Work Abstracts. Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers, 1965–. Quarterly. ISSN: 10705317.
Index with abstracts to approximately 100 journals in social work and related subjects as well as dissertations in social work. Also available in electronic version.
Sociological Abstracts. San Diego: Sociological Abstracts, 1953–. Bimonthly. ISSN: 00380202.
Covers the field of sociology including such topics as the family, sociology of health care, social problems, human services delivery, social policy.
Directories
NASW Register of Clinical Social Workers. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of Social Workers, 1976–. Biennial. ISSN: 02770695.
Lists clinical social workers by name, address, agency, education, license, practice code, or area of specialization.
National Directory of Children, Youth & Families Services. Longmont, CO: Marion L. Peterson, 1979–. Annual. ISSN: 1072902X.
Addresses, phone numbers, and selected staff of public and private agencies throughout the United States.
Public Human Services Directory. Washington, DC: American Public Welfare Association, 1940–. Annual. ISSN: 15211320.
State and county services throughout the United States and Canada are listed with selected staff, addresses and phone numbers. Also includes some information on the organization of human services within each state or province.
Internet Resources
Social Welfare, Directory of Web Sites Created by the University at Albany (SUNY)
http://library.albany.edu/subject/socwork.htm
Topics include advocacy; children, youth and families; gerontology; government resources; mental health and therapy; social policy; Substance abuse; support services; statistical sources; professional associations.
World Wide Web Resources for Social Workers
www.nyu.edu/socialwork/wwwrsw/
Database of government, higher education, journal/newsletter, association, reference, and topical sites for social workers.
Subject Headings
• human services
• public welfare
• social service—dictionaries
• social service—guides, manuals, etc.
• social service—handbooks, manuals, etc.
• social service—periodicals
• social service—United States—dictionaries
• social welfare
• social welfare—directory
• social welfare—encyclopedias
• social work
• social work—directory
• social work—encyclopedias