One of the best ways to learn about what folklore is and how folklorists do their work is to read the books folklorists have published. Though no one list can include all the many good books that have been and are still being published about folklore, or all the folk traditions that folklorists study, this list is a start. These books should be available through a good public or university library; many of them also can be purchased from the university press that published them, or at a good bookstore; and all should be available online.

To learn about current work in the field of folklore, you should also become familiar with the world's leading folklore journals, which contain articles, opinions, research reports, and reviews of folklorists' work of all kinds.

Folklore Textbooks

Folklore Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Folklore-Related Literature

Books About Fieldwork

Chicago Folklore Prize Recipients