If you aren't sure what kind of resources you need, encyclopedias, handbooks, and readers on Latin American history or cultural studies can be a good place to start.
Reference works make excellent starting points for research; they provide concise articles on key topics by scholars of the field, often accompanied by suggestions for further reading. Many of the sources listed below are print volumes shelved in Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks, on the first floor of Van Pelt.
The Cambridge History of Latin America by 
The Cambridge Companion to Modern Latin American Culture by
Specially-commissioned essays analyze Latin American history, politics, art and literature from the nineteenth century to the present and reveal the common heritage of pre-Columbian and colonial Latin America. Although the Portuguese and Spanish-speaking states created in the early 1820s differed greatly geographically and demographically (in ethnic composition and economic resources), they also shared distinct historical and cultural traits. A chronology and guide to further reading make this volume an invaluable introduction to the rich and varied culture of modern Latin America.
Latinoamericana : enciclopédia contemporânea da América Latina e do Caribe by 
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures by 
Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture by 
Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics by 
Latin American Writers by 
Diccionario enciclopedico de las letras de América Latina by 
Encyclopedia of Latin American and Caribbean Literature, 1900-2003 by 
Brazilian Writers by 
Dictionary of Brazilian Literature by 
Encyclopedia of Latin American Popular Music by 
Latin American Cinema by 