Microform

Guide to the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF)

• Content
• Formats
• Tips

Content

The HRAF (also known as the HRAF Collection of Ethnography) is a large collection of primary sources on almost 400 world cultures. It includes articles, dissertations, books and reports. Example topics include family structure, political organization and ideas about gender.

Although many classic anthropological works (late 1800's - 1970) are in this collection, HRAF is a multidisciplinary source. Researchers in history, sociology, religion, literature and anthropology would all find it useful.

Available Formats

The HRAF is available in two formats. Before 1993, HRAF was produced only in microfiche. After 1993, HRAF has been produced in electronic form only (eHRAF).

HRAF in Microfiche

UVA HRAF fiche holdings are cataloged in VIRGO, and are located in the Periodicals/Microforms Room, Alderman Library, 3rd floor East.

See tips for using HRAF microfiche.

HRAF in Electronic Format (eHRAF)

The electronic version of HRAF (eHRAF) can be considered a subset of the original HRAF on fiche:

• The eHRAF Collection of Ethnography does not contain all of the world's national and ethnic cultures and it also does not contain all the cultures that are available in the HRAF microfiche collections.
• eHRAF contains over ninety culture files; more cultures are added in the spring of every year.
• The HRAF microfiche collection contains over 350 cultures
• Most of the cultures in eHRAF are updated versions of the microfiche collections. The rest are mostly immigrant cultures.

Tips

Finding Specific Cultures

To determine whether a specific culture is covered in fiche or electronic format, refer to this list: Human Relation Area Files Collection of Ethnography (pdf file).

Please note: currently, the list shows only what's available by culture. A format listing by subject is not yet available.

Search the HRAF web version (eHRAF) first

Whether just browsing cultures and subjects, or searching for a specific text from a citation, you'll find the web version is much faster and easier to search (and you may find what you are looking for)

See search tips and links to eHRAF.

Using the HRAF print indexes

If your eHRAF search fails to retrieve what you're looking for, ask for assistance from reference staff to make sure you've searched the eHRAF correctly. You may have to use the HRAF print indexes and microfiche located across from the service desk in Alderman Periodicals/Microforms Room.

See tips for using the HRAF fiche.