Reference Source Evaluations Running head: REFERENCE SOURCE EVALUATIONS
Reference Source Evaluations Brian D. Moss Emporia State University
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Reference Source Evaluations Abstract Presented here are evaluations of eighteen different reference sources, including one print resource and one electronic resource for each of the following categories: 1) Almanacs, yearbooks, and handbooks 2) Bibliographic sources 3) Biographical sources 4) Dictionaries 5) Directories 6) Encyclopedias 7) Geographic information sources 8) Government documents and statistical sources 9) Indexes and abstracts Following a full citation of the given source, each evaluation provides a description of that source‟s purpose, authority, scope, format, arrangement, entries, special features, and use, and then concludes with a brief critique.
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Reference Source Evaluations
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TYPE Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Handbooks (print) CITATION World almanac and book of facts. (1923-2007). New York: World Almanac Books. PURPOSE To provide authoritative data on a wide variety of subjects, including current events, history, health matters, entertainment, sports, demographics, science and technology, and more AUTHORITY Does not provide credentials of editors and contributors, but rather appears to rely on its own established reputation as a reliable and authoritative source SCOPE Extremely broad, covering a wide range of subject matter (see purpose); global in nature, but with an emphasis on the U.S.; updated annually to provide the most up-to-date information FORMAT 1 volume of 1,008 pages; hardback; white pages with black print; includes three small sections of color photos presenting large-scale world maps and “The Year in Pictures”; page headers; number of columns varies by section and subject matter; book dimensions are approx. 10” x 8” x 3” (note: dimensions provided in this paper are height times width times depth) and 7 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Divided into nine major sections; arrangement varies within each section; includes a brief table of contents on page 3 and a lengthy index in back ENTRIES Vary widely by subject matter; comprised mostly of text, tables, and lists; print is very small due to amount of data provided SPECIAL Includes a section on “The Year in Pictures”; access to bonus online FEATURES content at www.worldalmanac.com USE Excellent ready-reference resource covering a wide spectrum of topics; appropriate for use by all age groups, although some patrons may require assistance finding specific information CRITIQUE Almanacs are invaluable resources and belong in every reference collection. Modern almanacs such as this contain much more and much broader information than the planting times, moon phases, etc., that were so prevalent in traditional almanacs. Although a table of contents is provided, the index is generally a much easier means of locating information.
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TYPE Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Handbooks (electronic) CITATION Guinness World Records. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/ PURPOSE To collect, verify, and disseminate world record achievements AUTHORITY “The Records Management Team maintains a vigilant watch to guarantee the accuracy and relevance of each and every Guinness World Record™, the team of Records Managers operates with unswerving impartiality and commitment to veracity. A fact may only become a Guinness World Record™ when it‟s tested, verified and elevated above all suspicion.” SCOPE Topics include Human Body, Amazing Feats, Natural World, Science & Tech, Arts & Media, Modern Society, Travel & Transport, and Sports & Games; records are collected from around the world; time coverage is not defined, but only appears to include new records since the year 2000 FORMAT Standard dot-com website; no password necessary to view; very colorful, with a variety of fonts and numerous illustrations ARRANGEMENT Homepage allows user to choose among 11 different languages; the subsequent page allows users to enter a search term or to browse by topic; records are arranged in categories (e.g. Human Body), then sub-categories (e.g. Medical Marvels) ENTRIES Entries are brief, and include photographs with short explanatory paragraphs; in most cases, key details are listed separately under the headings of “Who, What, Where, When” SPECIAL Tabbed sections feature news, videos, merchandise, corporate FEATURES information, and more USE This is a standard source for settling the proverbial bar bet; also interesting to browse just for fun; serious researchers may scoff at Guinness, but most patrons will view it as a reliable source for information on world records CRITIQUE The Guinness website is relatively easy to navigate, although it is not necessarily the most appealing website. Information provided on the website is clearly not as exhaustive as what is included in the print edition. Therefore, a good reference collection should purchase the hard copy at least once every few years, and if necessary one can check the website for updated records – for example, in case the record for “Highest Jump by a Pig” is broken (70cm).
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TYPE Bibliographic Sources (print) CITATION Drew, B. A. (1989). Heroines: a bibliography of women series characters in mystery, espionage, action, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, romance, and juvenile novels. New York: Garland Publishing. PURPOSE “To catalog nearly 1,200 series characters – both by men and women writers – for the use of future researchers and essayists” (p. 7) AUTHORITY “This bibliography was compiled based on examining copies of representative entries in nearly all the series in library collections and in new and second-hand book stores. Earlier bibliographical works and Books in Print and Cumulative Book Index in various editions provided some publication data” (p. 8) SCOPE Lists approximately 1,200 female series characters across nine different genres (see full title above), ranging from circa 1900 through 1988 FORMAT 1 volume; 400 pages; hardback; white pages and black print; limited number of small, black-and-white illustrations; no page headings except book title; no columns except in appendixes (2 columns) and title index (3 columns); approx. 8” x 5” x 1” and 3 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Introduction; author listing; series listing; nine appendixes separated by genre; reference list; title index ENTRIES Authors are listed alphabetically by surname, and with series (e.g. “Anderson, James: Murder She Wrote Series”); series are listed alphabetically, with a brief description followed by a chronological listing of titles, including publisher and year of publication; appendixes are listed alphabetically by name; title index is alphabetical, with a number indicating where to find the appropriate series in the series listing SPECIAL None FEATURES USE Of very limited use, perhaps only to researchers unable to find the same information online, or to assist a librarian in search of specific bibliographic information CRITIQUE Although less than twenty years old, this bibliography almost seems quaint. Information of this sort is now generally stored electronically – online or in databases – where it is much more easily accessible and searchable. A title of this sort is of little use to most public libraries, but is certainly worth keeping on hand in academic or research libraries.
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TYPE Bibliographic Sources (electronic) CITATION Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). (2007). WorldCat. Retrieved July 25, 2007, at http://www.worldcat.org/ PURPOSE To allow the user to “search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world” AUTHORITY Due to its size, longevity, and established reputation, the OCLC is essentially an authority in and of itself SCOPE “Over 1 billion items in more than 10,000 libraries worldwide”; according the „About‟ link, items include books, CDs, videos, audiobooks, article citations, research materials, photographs, and digital copies of materials otherwise not available to the public; also, “[b]ecause WorldCat libraries serve diverse communities in dozens of countries, resources are available in many languages” FORMAT Dot-org website with very simple, user-friendly design; no login required, although users can register in order to create lists, ratings, and reviews ARRANGEMENT Prominent search box allows user to search by title, subject, or person; a variety of clearly-explained links allow the user to create WorldCat links, add a WorldCat search box to another website, or download a free browser plug-in; further links provide information about WorldCat itself, and provide various options, such as searching in a different language ENTRIES Individual entries list title, author, language, type of material, publisher, ISBN/ISSN/OCLC numbers, subject headings, miscellaneous information, and a permanent link to the entry; below that are listings of libraries with that particular item in their holdings (from closest to furthest), as well as tabs that provide more details, subject information, editions, and reviews SPECIAL Advanced search feature allows users to search by keyword, author, title, FEATURES or ISBN/ISSN/OCLC number; user can also further limit search to include only a specific language, format, or range of publication dates USE Most patrons are not familiar with WorldCat, despite being simple enough to be used by most people; a very popular tool among librarians CRITIQUE Begun some forty years ago as a collaborative effort among 54 Ohio libraries (Bopp & Smith, 2001, p. 159), the OCLC has grown into a behemoth resource of immeasurable value for interlibrary loan purposes and/or simply as a source of bibliographic data.
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TYPE Biographical Sources (print) CITATION Marquis Who's Who, Inc. (2005). Who's who in America, 2006. New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who. PURPOSE To provide biographical profiles of prominent Americans and other individuals of importance to the U.S. AUTHORITY The Marquis name distinguishes this series as being more reputable than other “vanity” publications using the “Who‟s Who” name; however, names of researchers and other contributors are not listed SCOPE “Our profiles provide you with critical biographical information, including educational background, family history, work history, civic activity, memberships, honors, and awards. In many cases, hobbies and special interests are also provided” (p. vi) FORMAT 2 volumes totaling 5,919 pages listing over 100,000 profiles; hardback; white pages with black print; biographical entries 3 columns per page; geographical and professional entries 4 columns per page; illustrations only in special section; each volume is approx. 12” x 9” x 4” and 15 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Biographical entries are listed alphabetically by surname in both volumes; geographical and professional entries are listed alphabetically by location and profession, respectively, then by surname ENTRIES Biographees‟ listings include (in the following order): name, occupation, vital statistics, parents, marriage, children, education, professional certifications, career, writings and creative works, civic and political activities, military, awards and fellowships, professional and association memberships, clubs and lodges, political affiliation, religion, avocations, home address, and office address; professional and geographical indexes list only name and profession SPECIAL Because this is the 60th edition, they have included a special section on 60 FEATURES noted personalities from 1890 to present USE Useful for almost any researcher seeking biographical information on people from many different walks of life; very young and very old patrons will probably require the assistance of a librarian CRITIQUE Who’s Who is very thorough and well-researched. The extremely small print and abundant use of abbreviations can cause some difficulty with use. Nonetheless, this is an invaluable resource for any reference collection.
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TYPE Biographical Sources (electronic) CITATION New York Times. (n.d.) Obituaries. Retrieved July 21, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/pages/obituaries/ PURPOSE To provide obituaries of important, famous, or otherwise noteworthy people AUTHORITY Reliant on the long-standing reputation of the New York Times newspaper SCOPE International in scope, but with emphasis on prominent Americans and a minor bias toward personalities from New York City and the surrounding areas FORMAT Standard dot-com website (part of NYTimes.com); full text of recent obituaries available for free, with no login necessary; abstracts of older obituaries available for free, with full text available for a per-unit fee of $4.95; unlimited access to „TimeSelect‟ service costs $7.95 monthly or $49.95 annually; obituaries range from 1851 to present ARRANGEMENT Links to recent obituaries are listed on the left side of the screen, with the most recent at the top; each link contains a blurb about the person and the most recent also show a small photograph; a search box in the upper righthand corner allows the user to search by name or other keyword(s); advance search features are also available; tabs allow for easy browsing throughout the rest of the NYTimes.com website ENTRIES Obituaries are presented the same as NYTimes articles; most contain photos; note that archived obituaries do not contain photographs SPECIAL Contains „multimedia‟ obituaries, with audio, video, and other interactive FEATURES features; “On This Day” feature presents archived obituaries (viewable for free) from the same approximate time of year from throughout the history of the newspaper USE Easily searchable by most patrons; also a good ready-reference tool for librarians; information found here can aid in expanding a search as needed CRITIQUE The New York Times obituaries are often more thorough and of a higher quality than obituaries that appear through news services such as AP, UPI, and the like. The Times also provides a high percentage of obituaries from the world of arts – conductors, stage actors, poets, etc.
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TYPE Dictionaries (print) CITATION Random House. (1995). Random House Webster’s college dictionary (3rd ed.). New York: Random House. PURPOSE To provide the meaning, pronunciation, etymology, usage, and so forth of words in the English language (esp. U.S. English) AUTHORITY Dozens of editors, as well as four prominent professors specializing variously in pronunciation, etymology, usage and synonyms SCOPE Over 180,000 entries and 250,000 definitions, with emphasis placed on “coverage of current vocabulary from a wide range of subject areas” FORMAT 1 volume of 1,568 pages; hardcover; white paper and black print; page headings; two columns of entries per page; illustrations provided for some entries; approx. 8” x 6” x 2” and 5 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Entries are listed alphabetically; also includes a list of contributors, a preface, a sample page, instructions on using a dictionary, a pronunciation guide, a key to abbreviations, and an index ENTRIES Entries vary in length; include pronunciation, suffixes, verb forms, grammatical information, parts of speech, numbered definitions, lettered sub-definitions, and many more details as appropriate SPECIAL Includes a guide for writers, an essay on avoiding sexist language, and an FEATURES essay on how to locate words based on pronunciation USE Specifically intended for use by college students, but practical for everyday use by librarians and most adult patrons CRITIQUE This is more or less a standard dictionary – more thorough than a small paperback, but less thorough than an unabridged dictionary. Visual learners would probably appreciate more diagrams and illustrations. However, both the layout and the content are more than adequate to meet the needs of the typical dictionary user.
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TYPE Dictionaries (electronic) CITATION Dictionary.com. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://dictionary.reference.com/ PURPOSE To provide the meaning, pronunciation, etymology, usage, and so forth of words in the English language (esp. U.S. English) AUTHORITY Authority is based on the 21 sources that Dictionary.com makes available SCOPE Sources range from general (e.g. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) to specific (e.g. Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary); pop-culture and slang words are included as well; as a result, scope is extremely broad FORMAT Standard dot-com website; no login necessary to use, although “premium” content is available for $19.95 per year ARRANGEMENT Homepage includes a prominent search box, along with tabs linking to related sites (e.g. Thesaurus.com) and groups of links to numerous other features (e.g. Word of the Day); entries are listed by source, top to bottom, with the most general sources listed first ENTRIES Mostly standard dictionary entries, varying somewhat in content and format depending on the source; each entry provides a link to the actual source; also, the user can click on tabs near the top of the page to view results for the same word at Thesaurus.com or Encyclopedia.com SPECIAL Premium content features ad-free content, audio pronunciations, color FEATURES illustrations, and access to special word games USE Easy to use dictionary resource, appropriate for nearly all library users CRITIQUE Dictionary.com is perhaps the best free online dictionary available. One minor drawback is that the user cannot „thumb through‟ in search of a word as with a print dictionary (although there is a “browse nearby entries” option provided). Also, the banners and other advertising can prove a bit distracting. However, due to the quality and scope of content, this is a worthwhile resource for almost any dictionary need.
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TYPE Directories (print) CITATION Dun and Bradstreet, Inc. (2004). D & B million dollar directory: America's leading public & private companies. Bethlehem, PA: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. PURPOSE To provide information on U.S. companies, for use by individuals and businesses AUTHORITY “Facts were obtained from the D&B database, telephone interviews, and annual reports. Upon request, the page proofs of proposed listings have been submitted to officials of companies for approval or correction.” SCOPE Includes businesses in various industries, including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, wholesale, retail, finance, insurance, real estate, and business services FORMAT 5 volumes comprising a total of 9,802 pages (note: page numbers carry over from volume to volume); hardback; white paper with black print; approx. 9” x 12” x 2” and 8 lbs. ARRANGEMENT “The first three volumes list businesses alphabetically; the fourth and fifth volumes cross-reference businesses geographically and by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code” (p. IV); geographical listings are alphabetical by state, then city; industry listings are listed sequentially by SIC code ENTRIES Businesses listings in volumes 1-3 include address and telephone number of company headquarters, trade style, annual sales volume, total employment size, SIC codes, company officers, D&B number, board of directors, date of founding, and further details as available; geographical listings in volume 4 and industry listings in volume 5 include business name, address, telephone number, SIC code, and page number of full listing SPECIAL Symbols have now been added to indicate whether a company is FEATURES publically held, or whether a company is a subsidiary of a publically held company USE Useful for a wide variety business information needs, especially prospecting purposes; particularly useful for small businesses CRITIQUE Cross-listings greatly aid in narrowing search focus; due to a cost that is prohibitive to many small businesses, this directory belongs in almost any public reference collection
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TYPE Directories (electronic) CITATION ReferenceUSA. (2007). Retrieved July 28, 2007, from http://www.kclibrary.org/guides/databases/ PURPOSE To be “a reference tool in libraries” (from the „About‟ link) AUTHORITY According to the „About‟ link, the parent organization “infoUSA is the leading provider of business and consumer information products, database marketing services and Internet marketing solutions. We offer the most comprehensive databases in the industry and are the only company to build and maintain a proprietary database of virtually all U.S. and Canadian businesses and residents.” SCOPE According to the „About‟ link, “more than 14 million U.S. businesses, 210 million U.S. residents, 855,000 U.S. health care providers, 1.5 million Canadian businesses, and 12 million Canadian households.” FORMAT Dot-com website requiring a user name and password for access; access also available through libraries; ARRANGEMENT List on left-hand side of screen provides links to nine business-related databases, including specialized directories such as HealthCare; below that are six residential databases, included specialized directories such as New Homeowners; directories are searchable by name, city and state, or phone number, and numerous custom search options are available – e.g. “Sales volume” or “Employee size” under business, and “Median home value” under residential ENTRIES Extremely detailed, particular business listings; sample business details include credit rating and annual spending on Yellow-Page advertisements; sample residential details include median neighborhood income SPECIAL None, except for a “Help” feature FEATURES USE Commonly used by businesspeople for prospecting new business leads; also potentially useful for locating individuals; first-time users may require guidance from a librarian CRITIQUE Due to the cost, many libraries subscribe only to a select few databases. For example, the Kansas City Public Library subscribes only to the main U.S. Business database, the HealthCare database, and the main U.S. Residential database. Generally speaking, this is a very extensive and quite useful group of databases that all libraries make available to patrons.
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TYPE Encyclopedias (print) CITATION McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology. (2002). New York: McGraw-Hill. PURPOSE “To provide the widest possible range of articles that will be understandable and useful to any person of modest technical training who wants to obtain information outside his [or her] particular field of specialization” (p. ix) AUTHORITY Editorial advisors and consulting editors are listed with their credentials and particular area of expertise; furthermore, “More than 5000 authors from universities, industry, and government agencies have contributed to this work” (p. ix) SCOPE “The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology presents pertinent information in every field of modern science and technology” (p. xi), including 7,100 articles, 12,000 illustrations, and 62,000 crossreferences FORMAT 20 volumes averaging approximately 750 pages each; hardback; white paper and black print, with blue print used for some illustrations and headings; page headings; two columns per page; each volume is approx. 11” x 8” x 1” and 4 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Entries are listed alphabetically; volumes 1 through 19 contain articles, while volume 20 contains indexes and ancillary materials; spine of each volume shows what that volume contains (e.g. Vol. 1 is “AAR-ANO”) ENTRIES Entries vary from short to quite lengthy; all entries contain the name of the author; most entries also contain subheadings, illustrations, and individual bibliographies SPECIAL A total of 90 glossy “colorplates” are provided to illustrate selected FEATURES entries (e.g. the Andromeda Galaxy) throughout the first 19 volumes USE This set of encyclopedia is clearly aimed at a broad audience; it provides more detailed information than a layperson might find elsewhere; however, it also provides valuable information for scientists and technicians who are stepping outside their normal comfort zones CRITIQUE This is a very thorough set of science and technology encyclopedias that would be a valuable asset to any reference collection. The entries are very detailed and informative, yet written in such a way that they are useful to anyone with a basic grasp of scientific knowledge.
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TYPE Encyclopedias (electronic) CITATION Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.) Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://www.britannica.com/ PURPOSE “To take all human knowledge, organize it, summarize it, and publish it in a form that people find useful” (from „Board‟ link) AUTHORITY According to the „Board‟ link, authority is based on “Britannica's Editorial Board of Advisors – the Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners, the leading scholars, writers, artists, public servants, and activists who are at the top of their fields” SCOPE As quoted above, scope aspires to be “all human knowledge”; premium service (see under Format) contains 122,264 articles FORMAT Standard dot-com website; entries from the “Concise Encyclopedia” are available for free, with no login or registration necessary; a much larger quantity of significantly more thorough articles from the Encyclopedia Britannica are available to premium subscribers for $69.95 annually ARRANGEMENT Homepage contains a variety of features not typically associated with an encyclopedia, including Biography of the Day, This Day in History, Quote of the Day, news, tools, and more; a search box near the top of the page allows users to search the encyclopedia or a dictionary/thesaurus; users can also browse by subject, alphabetically, or using an index ENTRIES Entries are presented essentially as traditional encyclopedia entries; socalled “concise” entries appear to be the merely introductions to the fulllength articles SPECIAL As noted under Arrangement, many of the sites prominent features are FEATURES unusual for an encyclopedia – perhaps most notably the blog USE Useful to all librarians and most patrons; homepage of website is clearly geared toward younger users CRITIQUE The Encyclopedia Britannica is a very trusted source, and is the cornerstone of many a reference area. The convenience of searching online makes it especially attractive, especially to younger users. Entries are well-researched, well-written and easy to understand. Unfortunately, the “concise” entries are often of little use – unless one is seeking nothing more than an overview of a particular subject – and the website seems overly eager to encourage the purchase of the premium service. A free trial is available, but only with a credit card.
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TYPE Geographical Information Source (print) CITATION George Philip & Son. (2002). Atlas of the world. New York: Oxford University Press. PURPOSE To provide a comprehensive source of information on world geography, including as aspect of both physical and political geography AUTHORITY “The Oxford Atlas of the World has been revised and updated with the help of a panel of specialist geography consultants from the United Kingdom and the United States, whose specialties range from the history of cartography, urban and social geography, epidemiology, and the European Union to biogeography and applied geomorphology” (p. II) SCOPE Includes sections on World Statistics, Images of the Earth, a Gazetteer of Nations, an Introduction to World Geography, City Maps, World Maps, and an Index FORMAT 1 volume of 304 pages; hardback; white pages with color maps and mostly black print; page headings; comprised of maps, charts, photographs, and text; approx. 16” x 12” x 1” and 10 lbs. ARRANGEMENT Divided into seven sections (see Scope), which in are each arranged appropriate to subject – e.g. the Gazetteer is alphabetical by country name ENTRIES Vary by section; index entries include page number and location, along with latitude and longitude SPECIAL Key to world map pages located inside front cover and key to European FEATURES map pages located inside back cover for quick access USE Atlas is of a relatively convenient size, making it useful for readyreference; content is presented in such a way as to be accessible to most users CRITIQUE Well-organized atlas with maps of moderate detail, appropriate for most everyday use; index appears to be quite thorough; average size by atlas standards, thus striking a fair compromise between large-scale maps and ease of use; separate pagination in city and world map sections could prove slightly confusing; at five years old, danger that some information is becoming outdated
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TYPE Geographic Information Source (electronic) CITATION Google earth. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://earth.google.com/ PURPOSE To combine “the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips” AUTHORITY No statement is given regarding authority; presumably Google is relying on its own reputation SCOPE Coverage includes the entire globe, although emphasis is given to areas with the highest concentration of people, or that may otherwise be of interest (e.g. tourist sites) FORMAT Application (.exe) is available as a free 15MB download; installation is simple, but may need to be performed by library staff due to network security measures ARRANGEMENT Basic screen includes a large viewable area, bordered by a search box, an area to store searches, and an area to chose which map “layers” to display; sample layers include features such as terrain, roads, cities, points of interest, etc. ENTRIES No entries in the traditional sense, as search capabilities are extremely dynamic; SPECIAL Google Earth Plus ($20 per year) provides higher resolution and data FEATURES importing capabilities; Google Earth Pro ($400 per year) provides even more high-power tools for professional and commercial purposes USE Requires a certain level of comfort and familiarity with computers that may prevent usage by many patrons; even moderately computer-savvy users may have trouble taking advantages of all the tools available CRITIQUE Although Google Earth is poised to become an extremely powerful tool with a wide variety of uses, at this point in time it is mostly being treated as a toy (“Look, it‟s my house!”). From a library standpoint, it probably has limited use at this time. However, staff should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with it, as Google Earth can be combined with other resources to create a “mash-up,” which in turn can help find answers to questions that are otherwise not available in standard reference materials.
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TYPE Government Documents and Statistical Sources (print) CITATION United States. (2006). Statistical abstract of the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census, Data User Services Division. PURPOSE To provide a “summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States” and “to serve as a convenient volume for statistical reference and as a guide to other statistical publications and sources” (p. v) AUTHORITY Data is provided by “many statistical sources, both government and private” (p. v) SCOPE Focus on the U.S.; includes “more than 1,300 tables and graphs on topics such as births and deaths, education, government finances, homeland security, income, poverty, and information technology” (back cover), along with guides to other statistical resources; data provided is the most recent information available for each individual topic FORMAT 1 volume; 999 pages; hardback; white paper and black print; mostly comprised of statistical tables; no page headings; approx. 8” x 5” x 2” and 4 lbs. ARRANGEMENT 30 sections plus 5 appendixes; each section begins with approx. 2 pages of introductory and explanatory text; within each section, tables are divided into subsections ENTRIES Statistical tables vary according to the nature of the data presented; each table is provided with explanatory text and footnotes as needed, as well as a full citation of the source used SPECIAL Includes a listing of new tables, as well as a guide on how to read the FEATURES tables USE Useful to a wide range of patrons, with a wide range of information needs, as well as to researchers and librarians of all sorts CRITIQUE This is an excellent resource, useful both as a ready-reference guide and also as tool for starting a more complicated search. This belongs in every reference collection. The only drawback is that statistical data can quickly become outdated – therefore, the website may provide more up-to-date information than the book (http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/).
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TYPE Government Documents and Statistical Sources (electronic) CITATION Library of Congress. (n.d.) THOMAS. Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://thomas.loc.gov/ PURPOSE To provide “legislative information from the Library of Congress” AUTHORITY Based on the inherent authority of the Library of Congress itself SCOPE Provides information on the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; major sections include information on Bills and Resolutions, the Congressional Record, Presidential Nominations, Treaties, Committee Reports, Government Resources, and a special section for teachers; FORMAT Dot-gov website; no registration or login necessary; three columns ARRANGEMENT Left-hand column lists links to major sections of the website (see under Scope), as well as links to related sites, such as the Law Library of Congress; center column features a search box allowing user to search for a bill by keywords, by bill number, or by sponsoring congressperson; center column also provides links to search for bills or laws in the current and/or past congresses, as well as links on “Other Legislative Activity” (e.g. committee reports); right-hand column provides links to “Current Activity” (e.g. schedules) and also to informative sites (e.g. on how a bill becomes a law) ENTRIES Entries vary widely depending on the subject; using example of a bill search, entries include full text of the bill in question, with search terms highlighted in yellow SPECIAL “Explore new features” link near top of page takes user to a beta site, with FEATURES tips on how to search for a bill using keywords, bill number, or sponsor, or by using a guided search USE Good resource for secondary or higher education students, and for citizens of all ages; very useful for nearly all librarians, but especially for reference and/or law librarians CRITIQUE Although the THOMAS website is generally quite user-friendly, it cannot disguise the fact that it is a government website. That is, some of the language and search logic used is not always clear to the layperson, although it is evident that that great effort has been made to make THOMAS accessible to all. Navigation can be a bit confusing for first time users, but all in all this is an excellent website and clearly an impeccable source of information on all types of legislative matters.
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TYPE Indexes and Abstracts (print) CITATION Short story index. (1953, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996). New York: H.W. Wilson. PURPOSE To help user locate short stories published in the years 1900-1995 by author, title, or subject AUTHORITY Originally based on an index compiled by Ina Eyck Firkins in 1923; has included input from “a number of representative libraries” (preface); credentials of authors and other contributors not listed SCOPE Each volume indexes short stories published during a particular time span: 1900-49, 1950-54, 1955-58, 1959-63, 1964-68, 1969-73, 1974-78, 1979-83, 1984-88, 1989-93, 1994, 1995 FORMAT Of the 12 volumes, first 10 are hardbacks; last two volumes are paperbacks; white paper and black print; no useful page headings; two columns per page; approx. 8” x 6” and of varying thickness and weights ARRANGEMENT Part 1 of each volume lists stories alphabetically by author, title, and subject (all grouped together); part 2 lists the collections index; starting in 1950, part 3 provides a Directory of Publishers and Distributors; starting in 1979, part 4 provides a Directory of Periodicals ENTRIES Very concise; authors are listed in bold by surname, with dates of birth and death; titles are listed alphabetically in bold; subject headings are listed in bold and all capital letters, with some subheadings; publishers and distributor directories include address and phone number; periodical directories include a dollar figure (annual subscription rate?), the ISSN, plus name and address of publisher SPECIAL None FEATURES USE Useful for finding a short story known to be published at a particular point in time – especially in older periodicals that may not yet be indexed online CRITIQUE Except for the first volume (1900-1949), most volumes cover such a short period of time that it may be difficult to locate a story without knowing at least its approximate date of publication. No doubt each volume was extremely useful when it first appeared, but over time the entire collection will lose its practical value as the information becomes more readily available electronically
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TYPE Indexes and Abstracts (electronic) CITATION Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA). (n.d.) Retrieved July 26, 2007, from http://www.libraryresearch.com/ PURPOSE To provide “coverage on subjects such as librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management, and more” AUTHORITY “With coverage dating back to the mid-1960s, it is the oldest continuously produced database covering the field of information science” SCOPE “LISTA indexes nearly 600 periodicals, plus books, research reports, and proceedings” FORMAT Part of the EBSCOhost family of databases; available for free with no login required ARRANGEMENT User has option of entering up to three keyword search terms as part of a basic search, advanced search, or visual search; user can narrow scope of search (text, author, title, publication, etc); also available are citation searches and index searches; user can narrow search results to publication type (e.g. academic journal or magazine); results are sortable by date, source, author, and relevance ENTRIES Entries include such information as title, author(s), source, document type, keywords, NAICS/Industry Codes, abstract, author affiliations, ISSN, and a permanent link to the record; many fields appear as hyperlinks SPECIAL User can adjust display preferences; “New Features” link calls attention to FEATURES upgrades and changes; signing in allows user to save searches, alerts, images, and more USE Mostly limited in use to students and practitioners of library and information science; first-time users may require some time to become familiar with the wide variety of features and options CRITIQUE LISTA is somewhat limited in use due to its lack of full-text availability. Given its target audience, however, users will presumably be able to find full text of the articles in other sources. Features such as the hyperlinked results, the ability to refine searches, and the “Find More Like This” option greatly aid the process of searching LISTA.
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References Bopp, R. E., Ed, & Smith, L. C., Ed. (2001). Reference and Information Services: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited. Dictionary.com. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://dictionary.reference.com/ Drew, B. A. (1989). Heroines: a bibliography of women series characters in mystery, espionage, action, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, romance, and juvenile novels. New York: Garland Publishing. Dun and Bradstreet, Inc. (2004). D & B million dollar directory: America's leading public & private companies. Bethlehem, PA: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. Encyclopedia Britannica. (n.d.) Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://www.britannica.com/ George Philip & Son. (2002). Atlas of the world. New York: Oxford University Press. Google earth. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://earth.google.com/ Guinness World Records. (n.d.) Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/ Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA). (n.d.) Retrieved July 26, 2007, from http://www.libraryresearch.com/ Library of Congress. (n.d.) THOMAS. Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://thomas.loc.gov/ Marquis Who's Who, Inc. (2005). Who's who in America, 2006. New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who. McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology: an international reference work in twenty volumes including an index. (2002). New York: McGraw-Hill. New York Times. (n.d.) Obituaries. Retrieved July 21, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/pages/obituaries/
Reference Source Evaluations Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). (2007). WorldCat. Retrieved July 25, 2007, at http://www.worldcat.org/ Random House. (1995). Random House Webster’s college dictionary. New York: Random House. ReferenceUSA. (2007). Retrieved July 28, 2007, from http://www.kclibrary.org/guides/databases/ Short story index. (1953, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996). New York: H.W. Wilson. United States. (1993). Statistical abstract of the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of the Census, Data User Services Division. World almanac and book of facts. (1923-2007). New York: World Almanac Books.
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