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
Digital Reference Texts
Full-text resources in Gale eBooks include:
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Focuses on specific themes of human development across cultures era by era, providing the most in-depth, expansive presentation available of the development of humanity from a global perspective.
Suggested Dictionaries
The following is a sample from our reference collection.
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Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians by
Call Number: Ref. 780.922 Sℓ54b8ISBN: 9780028724157Publication Date:Containing more than 15,000 biographies ranging from several lines to eight pages in length, Baker’s provides unparalleled coverage of the world’s greatest and lesser-known musicians in the uniquely insightful and always meticulous style of lexicographer extraordinaire Nicolas Slonimsky.
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The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music by
Call Number: Ref. 780.922 H261ISBN: 9780674372993Publication Date:A guide to the thousands of characters who people the history of music, this volume brings together all the biographical information about composers, performers, music theorists, and instrument makers from the days of praise chants to the bop and pop of today.
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The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd Edition, by
Call Number: Ref. 780.3 N42026s2ISBN: 9781561592395Publication Date:Since its initial publication in , the Dictionary has been widely acclaimed as an indispensable resource and a classic reference.
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The New Harvard Dictionary of Music by
Call Number: Ref. 780.3 Ap2hnISBN: 9780674615250Publication Date:Nearly six thousand entries and articles define musical terms, describe instruments, and discuss musical forms, concepts, and theory.
Suggested Encyclopedias
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The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 3rd Edition, by
Call Number: Ref. 781.64 En19 3rd ed.ISBN: 9781561592371Publication Date:The Encyclopedia Of Popular Music is universally recognized as the most comprehensive and authoritative reference work on popular music.
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Musical Instruments of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia by
Call Number: Ref. 781.91 D54mISBN: 9780871963208Publication Date:With more than 4,000 drawings and an extensive text, this book introduces hundreds of past and present musical instruments in a dictionary format.
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The New Oxford History of Music by
Call Number: Ref. 780.9 N42ISBN: 9780193163010Publication Date:Looks at ancient and oriental music and traces the history of western music from medieval times to the twentieth century.
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
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For students and adults alike, the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia database indexes over 25,000 records, covering an array of topics.
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Gale eBooks is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
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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
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In addition to 225 full-text journals, this database features full-text legal reference books from the organization Nolo.
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This databases contains over 450 reference books related to business.
English & Literature
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
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Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
Schools & Public Libraries
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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.
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This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for high-school students.
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Designed for public libraries, MasterFILE Premier includes the full text of 500 reference books that may be useful for general information or beginning research.
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This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects.
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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.
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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.