ILS 504: Reference and Information Resources and Services
Dr. Sche
Exercise I: Online and Local Library Visits
September 20, 2010
Almanacs
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Our Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.
Associations and Organizations
Idealist.org: A searchable directory of nonprofit organizations, jobs, information on volunteering, jobs, projects, events and tools for all facets of nonprofit management.
Biographies
Nobel Prize Internet Archive: Impressive collection of information about all of the past Nobel Laureates, organized by prize and year, or searchable. Entries include brief biographical information plus links to related Internet sites.
Calculations and Conversion Tools
Convertworld is a unit conversion website. Currency can be calculated for 36 different countries. The date cane also be changed to reflect the most current value of the currencies. Other conversion areas are: length, temperature, weight, data storages, area, energy, pressure, speed, volume, and time. The site is available in English, German, and Polish.
Calendars
The 10,000 Year Calendar: A perpetual calendar; allows users to check days of the week for dates in history and in the future. Browsable, not searchable, but easy enough to use.
Census Data and Demographics
Social Science Data Analysis Network: "The Social Science Data Analysis Network makes the latest US census surveys and demographic trends accessible to educators, policymakers, the media, and students at all levels."
Dictionaries
From Language to Language has translation dictionaries for about 18 languages, including Swahili, Romanian, Serbo_Croat, and Esperanto. All dictionaries work both ways, and can be used from any language to any language. The site also contains language alphabets, quizzes, dictionaries for phones, browser integrated dictionaries, and language for travelers.
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia Smithsonian: "The Smithsonian Institution receives a great many public inquiries covering a wide range of topics. Therefore, the following responses have been compiled to answer frequently asked questions or to provide guidance in finding the requested information. New information will be added continually." Topics covered: Armed Forces History, Anthropology, M ...
Experts and How-To
FindHow: The How-To Search Engine Want to know how to install a toilet seat? How to cultivate geraniums? How to tour Aruba? How to write a will? Find out how to do all this and more through this search site.
Genealogy
How to find an Obituary: Lists steps, suggestions and hints, and provides resources for anyone searching for an obituary that is not online. The author also provides a list of links to sites that offer free obituaries online.
Geography
U.S. Geological Survey - Global Visualization Viewer: USGS has compiled dozens of its map collections for this comprehensive geological website. Make your own maps with layers like roads, rail ways, water and cities, and even search for older maps. Many of the images are free to download, and some are free with registration.
German Ready Reference Collection
German Ready Reference Collection: A collection of ready reference materials in German (with German & English descriptions of the resources).
Grammars
Parlez-Vous?: A collection of links to everything French -- Castles, Museums, Cathedrals, Francophone countries, Paris, Canadian links and more.
Italian Ready Reference
Musei e Arte in Italia/ Museums and Art in Italy: Sito ufficiale dell'ente Nazionale italiano per il Turismo (ENIT). Questo sito permette la ricerca di informazioni su musei e siti storici, artistici, archeologici disseminati in tutto il territorio d'Italia. La ricerca pu?? essere effettuata per localit??, per nome or per tipologia di museo. In italiano, inglese, francese, spagnolo, tedesco, porto ...
News and Current Events
Finding Data on the Internet: "A Journalist's Guide to some of the best sources online to check facts, find statistics and track down reputable information. After all, an information professional isn't much use without information. This is your starting point to find the data you need, online."
Periodical Directories
Catalog of U.S. Government Directories: Search government publications by author, title, subject area, or keywords on this site.
Quotations
The Columbia World of Quotations: "The 65,000 essential quotations that constitute this authoritative collection represent the research of 154 experts. Entries from more than 5,000 authors and speakers are multiply classified into 6,500 subjects." Search full text, by author or category, or browse an alphabetical author index.
Search Engines
Blogcritics.org: A collaborative blog where bloggers review "music, books, film, popular culture, and technology." Popular culture is a grab bag of responses to politics, recent news items, controversial issues, and things to see and do around the country and the world (like the Dachua Beer festival). One can also find discussions/responses to current events in music.
Style and Writing Guides
APA Style Essentials - Vanguard University: A great resource, if you are looking for a easy to use, effective and concise APA Style Guide. There are many examples, and coverage of all parts of the proper way to format your paper in APA style. This is a very thorough resource, which will assist you with your APA citing needs.
Telephone and Address
Dexknows Local Search: Well organized directory with mapped results. Search or browse for businesses or search for people by name, phone or address.
Time and Weather
The Weather Channel: The WWW version of cable TV's Weather Channel. Current weather information and forecasting for the United States are easily accessed. This site also offers educational resources, such as the "weather classroom." Weather news, advisories and facts of interest are available, as is the Weather Channel's TV schedule.
Trivia
IPL Trivia-Today In History: What happened on this day in 1969? I need ten famous events of the 1960s. (Et cetera.) Find out from this IPL Frequently Asked Question site.
Web Directories
Best of the Web Directory: A high-quality website directory. "To rank among the Best of the Web, a site must adhere to the strict criteria of editors who ensure that it contains substantive unique content, navigates in a user-friendly manner, contains no broken links or pictures, is up and running 24/7, and conforms to universally accepted web standards"
Dr. Sche
Exercise I: Online and Local Library Visits
September 20, 2010
Almanacs
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Our Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.
Associations and Organizations
Idealist.org: A searchable directory of nonprofit organizations, jobs, information on volunteering, jobs, projects, events and tools for all facets of nonprofit management.
Biographies
Nobel Prize Internet Archive: Impressive collection of information about all of the past Nobel Laureates, organized by prize and year, or searchable. Entries include brief biographical information plus links to related Internet sites.
Calculations and Conversion Tools
Convertworld is a unit conversion website. Currency can be calculated for 36 different countries. The date cane also be changed to reflect the most current value of the currencies. Other conversion areas are: length, temperature, weight, data storages, area, energy, pressure, speed, volume, and time. The site is available in English, German, and Polish.
Calendars
The 10,000 Year Calendar: A perpetual calendar; allows users to check days of the week for dates in history and in the future. Browsable, not searchable, but easy enough to use.
Census Data and Demographics
Social Science Data Analysis Network: "The Social Science Data Analysis Network makes the latest US census surveys and demographic trends accessible to educators, policymakers, the media, and students at all levels."
Dictionaries
From Language to Language has translation dictionaries for about 18 languages, including Swahili, Romanian, Serbo_Croat, and Esperanto. All dictionaries work both ways, and can be used from any language to any language. The site also contains language alphabets, quizzes, dictionaries for phones, browser integrated dictionaries, and language for travelers.
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia Smithsonian: "The Smithsonian Institution receives a great many public inquiries covering a wide range of topics. Therefore, the following responses have been compiled to answer frequently asked questions or to provide guidance in finding the requested information. New information will be added continually." Topics covered: Armed Forces History, Anthropology, M ...
Experts and How-To
FindHow: The How-To Search Engine Want to know how to install a toilet seat? How to cultivate geraniums? How to tour Aruba? How to write a will? Find out how to do all this and more through this search site.
Genealogy
How to find an Obituary: Lists steps, suggestions and hints, and provides resources for anyone searching for an obituary that is not online. The author also provides a list of links to sites that offer free obituaries online.
Geography
U.S. Geological Survey - Global Visualization Viewer: USGS has compiled dozens of its map collections for this comprehensive geological website. Make your own maps with layers like roads, rail ways, water and cities, and even search for older maps. Many of the images are free to download, and some are free with registration.
German Ready Reference Collection
German Ready Reference Collection: A collection of ready reference materials in German (with German & English descriptions of the resources).
Grammars
Parlez-Vous?: A collection of links to everything French -- Castles, Museums, Cathedrals, Francophone countries, Paris, Canadian links and more.
Italian Ready Reference
Musei e Arte in Italia/ Museums and Art in Italy: Sito ufficiale dell'ente Nazionale italiano per il Turismo (ENIT). Questo sito permette la ricerca di informazioni su musei e siti storici, artistici, archeologici disseminati in tutto il territorio d'Italia. La ricerca pu?? essere effettuata per localit??, per nome or per tipologia di museo. In italiano, inglese, francese, spagnolo, tedesco, porto ...
News and Current Events
Finding Data on the Internet: "A Journalist's Guide to some of the best sources online to check facts, find statistics and track down reputable information. After all, an information professional isn't much use without information. This is your starting point to find the data you need, online."
Periodical Directories
Catalog of U.S. Government Directories: Search government publications by author, title, subject area, or keywords on this site.
Quotations
The Columbia World of Quotations: "The 65,000 essential quotations that constitute this authoritative collection represent the research of 154 experts. Entries from more than 5,000 authors and speakers are multiply classified into 6,500 subjects." Search full text, by author or category, or browse an alphabetical author index.
Search Engines
Blogcritics.org: A collaborative blog where bloggers review "music, books, film, popular culture, and technology." Popular culture is a grab bag of responses to politics, recent news items, controversial issues, and things to see and do around the country and the world (like the Dachua Beer festival). One can also find discussions/responses to current events in music.
Style and Writing Guides
APA Style Essentials - Vanguard University: A great resource, if you are looking for a easy to use, effective and concise APA Style Guide. There are many examples, and coverage of all parts of the proper way to format your paper in APA style. This is a very thorough resource, which will assist you with your APA citing needs.
Telephone and Address
Dexknows Local Search: Well organized directory with mapped results. Search or browse for businesses or search for people by name, phone or address.
Time and Weather
The Weather Channel: The WWW version of cable TV's Weather Channel. Current weather information and forecasting for the United States are easily accessed. This site also offers educational resources, such as the "weather classroom." Weather news, advisories and facts of interest are available, as is the Weather Channel's TV schedule.
Trivia
IPL Trivia-Today In History: What happened on this day in 1969? I need ten famous events of the 1960s. (Et cetera.) Find out from this IPL Frequently Asked Question site.
Web Directories
Best of the Web Directory: A high-quality website directory. "To rank among the Best of the Web, a site must adhere to the strict criteria of editors who ensure that it contains substantive unique content, navigates in a user-friendly manner, contains no broken links or pictures, is up and running 24/7, and conforms to universally accepted web standards"