This single-source guide to selected biographical dictionaries and directories covers the entire spectrum of biographical sources (serial and nonserial) that have been published in the last ten years. In each entry the book gives complete bibliographic information along with price and a critical evaluation. Most entries have been selected from American Reference Books Annual (ARBA), between 1986 and 1997. Organized in two broad categories-International and National Biographies and Biographies in Professional Fields-listings are also easily accessed through detailed author/title and subject indexes. This work will be valuable to reference librarians, researchers, and others who require information on the lives of individuals from all fields of study and all time periods, and of particular use to those involved in the library acquisition process.

Profiling more than 1400 print and electronic sources, this book helps connect librarians and researchers to the most relevant sources of information in genealogy and biography.

Reflecting the dramatic changes shaped by rapidly developing technologies over the past six years, this new fourth edition of Reference and Information Services takes the introduction to reference sources and services significantly beyond the content of the first three editions. In Part I, Concepts and Processes, chapters have been revised and updated to reflect new ideas and methods in the provision of reference service in an era when many users have access to the Web. In Part II, Information Sources and Their Use, discussion of each source type has been updated to encompass key resources in print and on the Web, where an increasing number of freely available sources join those purchased or licensed by libraries. A number of new authors are contributors to this new edition, bringing to their chapters their experience as teachers of reference and as practitioners in different types of libraries. Discussions of services in Part I integrate digital reference as appropriate to each topic, such as how to conduct a reference interview online using instant messaging. Boxes interspersed in the text are used to present scenarios for discussion, to highlight key concepts, or to present excerpts from important documents. Discussions of sources in Part II place more emphasis on designing effective search strategies using both print and digital resources. The chapter on selection and evaluation of sources addresses the changing nature of reference collections and how to evaluate new types of sources. Each chapter concludes with an updated list of additional readings to guide further study. A new companion website will provide links to Web-accessible readings and resources as well as additional scenarios for discussion and example search strategies to supplement those presented in the text.

Fully annotated and completely updated—the most comprehensive guide to reference books in the field of history. Reference Sources in History catalogs atlases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, sourcebooks, bibliographies, and chronologies and makes sense of it all. Its broad scope and systematic organization make it an accessible, reliable resource for experienced and inexperienced researchers alike. Fully annotated and updated, the new edition summarizes hundreds of reference works on every conceivable subject in history—from ancient to modern, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. This edition also reflects the dramatic impact of the digital revolution on historical research by integrating a wide range of Internet and CD-ROM sources. Reference Sources in History is a time-saving alternative to searching the reference stacks or getting lost in an online thicket of dubious historical websites.

A revised and updated guide to reference material. It contains selective and evaluative entries to guide the enquirer to the best source of reference in each subject area, be it journal article, CD-ROM, on-line database, bibliography, encyclopaedia, monograph or directory. It features full critical annotations and reviewers' comments and comprehensive author-title and subject indexes. The contents include: philosophy and psychology; religion; social sciences, sociology, statistics, politics, economics, labour and employment; land and property, business organizations, finance and banking, and economic surveys; economic policies and controls, trade and commerce, business and management, and law; public administration, social services and welfare, education, customs and traditions; geography; biography; and history.

An easy-to-use guide to American regional folklore with advice on conducting research, regional essays, and a selective annotated bibliography. American Regional Folklore begins with a chapter on library research, including how to locate a library suitable for folklore research, how to understand a library's resources, and how to construct a research strategy. Mood also gives excellent advice on researching beyond the library: locating and using community resources like historical societies, museums, fairs and festivals, storytelling groups, local colleges, newspapers and magazines, and individuals with knowledge of the field. The rest of the book is divided into eight sections, each one highlighting a separate region (the Northeast, the South and Southern Highlands, the Midwest, the Southwest, the West, the Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii). Each regional section contains a useful overview essay, written by an expert on the folklore of that particular region, followed by a selective, annotated bibliography of books and a directory of related resources.