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Occult Sciences and Parapsychology
There are many requests for assistance in researching "the occult," as it is popularly called. One person asking this question might be interested in such topics as alchemy, ghosts, magic, palmistry, witchcraft, UFOs, Bigfoot or yoga. Another person might be interested in para-psychology, which is concerned with the scientific investigation of clairvoyance, reincarnation and other paranormal phenomena. The range of interests covered by either category is incredibly wide. Therefore, this guide will not attempt to provide titles dealing with unique subjects within the Occult Sciences or Parapsychology but will direct the reader to general sources and bibliographies. Emphasis is on the most current and comprehensive sources. The New York Public Library has an extensive collection of materials on the occult. The General Research Division collects a wide range of topics including esoteric magic (as opposed to stage magic, which is collected by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts), spiritualism and witchcraft. There are particularly strong collections on divination and Theosophy. The Science, Industry and Business Library collects materials on alchemy and flying saucers. Books on oriental mysticism and yoga are collected by the Asian and Middle Eastern Division. The Slavic and Baltic Division collects, in the original language, the works of Russian mystics, such as H.P. Blavatsky, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture collects titles on voodoo, santeria and related topics. Parapsychology, the branch of psychology which deals with the scientific investigation of paranormal or psychic phenomena, is collected by the General Research Division. Access to certain material requires identification and must be read under supervision. If you need further assistance, visit our reference desk, or e-mail us at grdref@nypl.org. |