Research guides and bibliographies can be an efficient way to start human rights research. See MNCAT for other guides or bibliographies under the subject human rights bibliography.
Web guides:
University of Minnesota Human Rights Library, Collection of links to web bibliographies
Georgetown University Law Library: Collection of links to bibliographies
Marci Hoffman, Human Rights, in ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources for International Legal Research
Paper guides:
Marci Hoffman & Mary Rumsey, Human Rights, in International & Foreign Legal Research: A Coursebook (2d ed. 2012) Reference Office K85 .H64 2012.
Marci Hoffman & Mary Rumsey, Bibliography on International Human Rights Research, in Selected International Human Rights Instruments and Bibliography (2009) [supplement to International Human Rights: Law, Policy, and Process (4th ed. 2009)]. Reserve K3240 .W452x 2009.
Claire Germain, Germain' s Transnational Law Research, IV-153, (1991-) (Reference Office K85.G47 1991).
Guide to International Legal Research. Current edition on Reserve (KZ1234.G85).
Two introductory books:
Thomas Buergenthal, International Human Rights in a Nutshell (4th ed., 2009). Reserve K3240.4 .B84 2009.
Henry J. Steiner & Philip Alston, International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals: Text and Materials (2d ed. 2000) K3240 .S74 2000.
Other general sources may be found by searching MNCAT under the subject human rights. (Older works are catalogued under the subject civil rights.) Periodicals are another excellent source of information.
To find books on more specific topics in MNCAT, use subject searches like the following:
civil rights [country or region]
civil rights
international law
[group] civil rights
[group] human rights
human rights [country or region]
women legal status, laws, etc.
women's rights
married women legal status, laws, etc. [country]
children (international law)
children's rights
You can also search by subject for individual organizations, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, or for individual human rights instruments, such as the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950).