Objective. This pathfinder will provide you with the resources to find three academic resources about themes in world mythology.

Strategy. You'll find information available in a variety of formats: reference books, circulating books, e-books, articles, and websites. Depending on your topic, you may find that some formats are better than others. In order to immerse yourself in your topic, you should explore all of these options to find the most relevant information. You may find that a single source may provide you with a lot of pertinent information, or you may find that several sources combined provide you with the information needed to fully engage yourself with the theme you've selected.

Mythology can be a difficult subject to research: many print resources follow a dictionary format, which provides important background information, but little depth; many websites are geared towards a high school (or younger) audience, and many periodical articles are scholarly and may presuppose a knowledge of a myth that you may not be familiar with. Be mindful of the types of resources you are accessing and make sure they are appropriate for this assignment.

Reference Books. There are a few key reference books that provide summaries and background information of key figures and themes in world mythology. They include (but are not limited to):

• UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology (BL303. U95 2009) This five volume encyclopedia provides information on major myths and figures, key themes and symbols, and its influence in art, literature and everyday life. This is also available online in the Gale Virtual Reference Library. 
• Mythologies, compiled by Yves Bonnefoy (BL311. D513 1991) Translated from French and organized by culture, this two volume encyclopedia contains nearly 400 articles written by leading scholars.
  
• Larousse World Mythology (BL310. G853 1981) Also transtaled from French, this single volume analyzes the form and function of myth, its variations and evolution, and recurrent themes through centuries. 

Print Books and E-Books. There are hundreds of books available in the Pierce College libraries and through ebrary, an e-book database, that provide more intensive analysis of myths (you can search for both formats through the library catalog). Many focus on mythology from specific cultures - the best way to find those is to seach the library catalog with the keyword "mythology" and select "Subject Browse" from the Within dropdown menu. Here, you can browse for mythology books by a specific culture (e.g., Myths, Hindu or Aztec Mythology) or by theme (e.g., art and mythology or myth in the Old Testament). You can also search for a more specific subject, like tricksters or Athena).

Periodical Databases. Through the library's periodical databases, you can access millions of articles from thousands of periodicals, including many scholarly journals. The two main databases -- ProQuest Research Library and EBSCO's Academic Search Premier -- are the best databases to use. To ensure you are finding the most appropriate articles, limit your search to scholarly journals.

Websites. A Google search on "mythology" yields more than 54,000,000 hits. There is obviously a lot of information on the Internet; here are a few websites you can consider that contains quality information:

• Encyclopedia Mythica. "An online encyclopedia on mythology, folklore, and legends." Entries cover "gods and goddesses, heroes, legendary creatures and beings from all over the world" and many include illustrations, pronunciation keys, and genealogical information. Features annotated links to related resources.
• World Myths and Legends in Art. "This collection of images brings together 26 works of art in the collection of The Minneapolis Institute of Arts inspired by mythology around the world." The site provides an essay about what is myth, and information and images of art from various world cultures and for mythological themes, such as creation myths and hero myths. Also includes a glossary, bibliography, and materials for teachers.
• Gender and Immortality: Heroines in Ancient Greek Myth and Cult. "Full-text of the 1996 book by Deborah Lyons published by Princeton University Press."
• Mythography. "Explore mythology and art by looking at information about the classic stories of heroes and gods...from the myths of ancient Greece and Rome, to the legends of the Celts, Mythography presents resources and reference materials about mythology - including recommended books, and lexicons that explain Greek, Roman, and Celtic terms and words."
• Theoi Greek Mythology. This site explores "Greek mythology and the gods in classical literature and art. The aim of the project is to provide a comprehensive, free reference guide to the gods (theoi), spirits (daimones), fabulous creatures (theres) and heroes of ancient Greek mythology and religion."
• Google Directory: Myths. This collection of websites focuses on myths from a variety of cultures and themes.