Reference Works
Review Articles
Review articles give a bird's eye view of a field or niche within a field. They can also contain useful bibliographies/works cited lists.
In many research databases, you can pre-limit or filter your search results to review articles.
One publisher, Annual Reviews, publishes only review articles. Try searching their Web site (listed below) for your topic.
Why Use eBooks/Books
How to Find eBooks/Books
Interlibrary Loan Books through PALCI E-Z Borrow - see http://library.lehigh.edu/ill for a link and brief instructions.