Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Getting Reference
Reference works such as dictionaries and encyclopedias provide background information. These resources are useful when you:
- Want to quickly learn about a topic.
- Are having trouble selecting a topic for an assignment.
- Don’t know what search terms to use.
- Need to find facts and figures.
Virtual Reference
Suggested Reference Works
The Cambridge History of American Literature by
Call Number: Ref. 810.9 C144ISBN: 052130105XPublication Date:The Cambridge History of American Literature addresses the spectrum of new and established directions in American writing. An interdisciplinary distillation of American literary history, it weds the voice of traditional criticism with the diversity of interests that characterize contemporary literary studies.
Contemporary Popular Writers by
Call Number: 820.900914 C7675ISBN: 9781558622166Publication Date:This work gives authoritative coverage on 300 current popular and best-known novelists, playwrights, poets, short story and non-fiction writers. It includes Piers Anthony, Dave Barry, Stephen King, Danielle Steele, and Ken Follett. Each entry provides personal information about the author, a bibliography of works, a list of works about the author, and a critical essay.
The Encyclopedia of Fantasy by
Call Number: Ref. 809.3876 En19ISBN: 9780312145941Publication Date:This huge volume is the first comprehensive encyclopedia of the fantasy field, offering an exciting new analysis of this highly diverse and hugely popular sphere of literature, from precursors such as Shakespeare and Dante, through Lewis Carroll, George MacDonald and L. Frank Baum to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and their modern successors, like Ursula K. Le Guin, Peter S. Beagle, Stephen R. Donaldson and Jostein Gaarder.
The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Literature in English by
Call Number: 820.3 Ox24sISBN: 9780192122711Publication Date:This is a unique new reference book to English-language writers and writing throughout the twentieth century, in all major genres and from all around the world—from Joseph Conrad to Will Self, Virginia Woolf to David Mamet, Ezra Pound to Peter Carey, James Joyce to Amy Tan.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature by
Call Number: Ref. 810.3 Ox25ISBN: 9780195167276Publication Date:This four-volume set covers American literature, from the European discovery of America to the present, with entries in alphabetical order. It includes 350 substantive critical and interpretive essays on the most-studied American authors, literary masterworks, and genres or movements.
Reference Guide to American Literature, 3rd Edition, by
Call Number: eBookISBN: 9781558623101Publication Date:Now in its 3rd edition, the Reference Guide to American Literature focuses on the rich diversity of individuals that compose an important group of American novelists, poets, dramatists, and essayists.
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture by
Call Number: Ref. 973.9 Sa23ISBN: 9781558624009Publication Date:Aimed at researchers and students, this accessible source on popular culture ranges from fast food and fitness fads to political events and literary genres.
Reference Databases
These research databases contain full-text reference works.
Their content includes encyclopedias and specialized dictionaries but may also include journal articles and other sources.
General Reference
- Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
For students and adults alike, the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia database indexes over 25,000 records, covering an array of topics.
- Oxford English Dictionary Online
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words—past and present—from across the English-speaking world.
Legal & Business Information
- Legal Information Reference Center
In addition to 225 full-text journals, this database features full-text legal reference books from the organization Nolo.
- Small Business Reference Center
This databases contains over 450 reference books related to business.
English & Literature
- Gale Literature Resource Center
In addition to full-text short stories, plays, poems, and articles on literature, the Gale Literature Resource Center offers access to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature.
- Poetry & Short Story Reference Center
In addition to full-text stories and poems as well as critical essays, this database contains articles from reference works on poetry and literature.
Health & Psychology
- Consumer Health Reference eBook Collection
This ebook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general health topics including cancer and diabetes; weight management and exercise; allergies; senior care; social–emotional health; developmental disorders; and natural health.
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print
Produced by the Buros Center for Testing at the University of Nebraska, the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) provides users with a comprehensive guide to thousands of contemporary testing instruments.
Home & Craft
- Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center
Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
- Home Improvement Reference Center
Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
Schools & Public Libraries
- MAS Complete
Although designed for high schools, MAS Complete includes the contents of 440 full-text reference books that may be useful for beginning research or quick overviews of subjects.
- MAS Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for high-school students.
- MasterFILE Complete
Designed for public libraries, MasterFILE Premier includes the full text of 500 reference books that may be useful for general information or beginning research.
- MasterFILE Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects.
- Middle Search Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for middle-school students. Topics include social studies, math, history, language arts, technology, geography, culture, and science.
- Primary Search Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for primary-school students. Topics include social studies, history, language arts, geography, culture, math, and science.