Here are some basic, relatively new sources held in the Reference Room, along with a few entries about materials held in the main stacks. Cambridge History of Latin American Literature Echevarria, Roberto, ed. This is a wonderful new comprehensive encyclopedia covering the literature of both Latin America and Brazil. Organization is chronological rather than thematic and spans from pre-Columbian writing to the present. 40 specialists who include previously neglected areas contributed to the work.
Topics are varied, and annotated bibliographies are included.
Encyclopedia of Latin American Literature Smith, Verity, ed. Fitzroy Dearborn, c1997 Ref. Entries are devoted to writers, works, and topics relating to the literature of Latin America, including survey essays on each country. This very recent source will be important for those new to the field. Like the Cambridge History above, this work purports to fill gaps left by other reference works, such as treatment of Ecuador and Bolivia.