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Good questions outrank easy answers. ~ Paul A. Samuelson
ILS 504 - Reference & Information Resources
Reference Services
Myra Emmons
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Selection and Evaluation of Reference Sources
Personally, I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught ~ Winston Churchill
Introduction
The evaluation of reference sources requires thorough analysis of a number of factors, including the scope and comprehensiveness
of the work, the currency and accuracy of data, ease of access and the formats in which the work is available. The unique
qualities of the reference work, whether it complements or duplicates items already held, the needs of the community and the
library’s budget will also be factors in the selection process. Each evaluation of the nine types of reference sources
defined in the textbook (Bopp & Smith, 1995) considers these basic criteria.
1. Directories
Reference Type Directory, Online
Website Name/Address Open Directory Project http://dmoz.org/
Author/Institution Netscape
Target Audience General Public
Cost Free
Reviews http://searchengineshowdown.com/dir/dmoz/review.html
http://www.shaneycrawford.com/writing/odp/
Formats available Online only
This online, human-edited directory is supported by Netscape, which owns the copyright on the compiled contributions of a
global cadre of volunteer editors. Each editor goes through an application process, and new volunteers are mentored by senior
editors. The editorial guidelines provided on the ODP website offer an insight into their selection process:
“Consider the relative value of a resource in comparison to others information resources available …to its ability
to contribute important, unique information on a topic.” In general, ODP editors should enter sites that represent
the following:
* Original valuable informational content that contributes something unique to the subject.
* Contrasting points of view on major issues. The ODP attempts to cover the full breadth and depth of human knowledge, representing
all topics and points of view on those topics.
The scope of the ODP is global, both geographically and topically speaking. Though heavily weighted towards English language
content, it includes content in several other languages. The organization by topic, often with a series of subtopics, can
be frustrating to navigate, but entering a keyword in the search field can ameliorate the procedure of searching through the
layers. The ODP is not as comprehensive as other resources (indexing some 4 million websites to Google’s 8 billion)
but is much less commercially oriented, and is more reliable for vetting the quality and accuracy of content.
In summary, the Open Directory is a good source for generally reliable information (though checking more than one source is
always recommended). Though not as intuitive as algorithmic formats, it is fairly easy to use; however, unless some means
of keeping consistently abreast of current sources is implemented, it may eventually falter and fall by the wayside. For the
time being, ODP is a stable, reliable, non-commercial directory to quality information.
2. Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Handbooks
Reference Type Handbook
Title The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
Author/Editor Alice Sturgis
Publisher/Date/Edition McGraw-Hill, c2000, 4th Ed.
Target Audience Societies, associations or other organizations
Cost $15 pbk.
Formats available Print, digital
Though Henry Robert wrote the original and definitive reference on parliamentary procedure for his time, many people today
find his Rules of Order outdated and difficult to follow. Originally published in 1950, then revised in 1966, Sturgis’
Standard code of parliamentary procedure made the rules of procedure understandable for the general public. This book contains
a clearly organized table of contents, user-friendly index and comprehensive text, including brief historical notes and explanation
of the need for procedure: “Parliamentary law is the procedural safeguard that protects the individual and the group
in their exercise of free speech, free assembly and the freedom to unite in organizations for the achievement of common aims.
These rights…can be lost if parliamentary procedure is not observed.” (Sturgis, 2000). The author taught at UC
and Stanford, and was a parliamentary advisor to the U.S. delegation which helped to draft the UN charter.
The fourth edition was revised and updated by the American Institute of Parliamentarians, and is available in print or in
electronic format. It covers such topics as:
• the significance and principles of parliamentary law,
• classification and precedence of motions,
• quorums, order of business, debates and voting,
• officers, committees, minutes, charters and by-laws,
• finances, members and staff.
It also includes a chapter on FAQ’s, an appendix on suggested bylaws for local organizations, model minutes and a glossary
of terms. The definitions were generally helpful, though brief examples with some (e.g. ‘hostile amendments’)
would help to further clarify exact meaning or usage.
One of the outstanding and unique assets of this reference work is the clarity of the writing. Although the code of parliamentary
law itself may be daunting, The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is eminently readable.
3. Biographies
I love mankind; it's people I can't stand. ~ Charles Schulz
Reference Type Biography, Online
Website Name/Address Lives, the biography resource http://www.amillionlives.com/index.html
Author/Institution Kenneth P. Lanxner
Target Audience General public
Cost Free
Reviews Lauren Zollinger, LibrarySpot.com
Formats available Online only
Although the authority of this website seems thin, a number of reviewers have recommended it highly, so I decided to include
the site here. Linked from LibrarySpot, with a number of genuine awards and well-reviewed by Jetta Carol Culpepper of Murray
State University Libraries, the website has a clean, uncluttered homepage. The scope of this site includes only people who
have died (with exceptions in some of the collections links), and all links are to pages in English only, as the author reviews
all submitted sites before adding links.
In spite of those limitations, I found this site to be surprisingly comprehensive: a wealth of appealing information, easy
to access. For many entries there are links to several sites, which was helpful for cross-checking information. The site
was simple to search, with no distracting graphics or pop-ups. The collections were an excellent feature, making subject or
regional research simple – say, for a general biographical paper on the Salem witches (http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/),
or the maligned ‘scribbling women’ (http://www.scribblingwomen.org/index.html).
The site is updated regularly, with new biography links added as the author finds and evaluates new sources. The links which
I used were all active; most led to high quality, in-depth sites sponsored or maintained by colleges, foundations, educational
or professional associations. Searching alphabetically is easy; browsing by collection is practically addictive. The format
is electronic only, though a link on the main page takes the reader to a bookstore collection of biographies.
4. Dictionaries
Reference Type Thesaurus
Title Roget’s International Thesaurus
Author/Editor Robert L. Chapman, editor
Publisher/Date/Edition HarperCollins, 1992, 5th Ed.
Target Audience Students, General Public
Cost 14.95 pbk.
Formats available This edition in print only (See Note* below)
Peter Mark Roget published his first book of synonyms in 1852; since then, Roget’s Thesaurus has never been out of print
(BBC, 2003). In the 5th edition, the organization of material has changed, becoming “more associational…than logical”
(Chapman,1992). Entries are arranged in 15 categories, from ‘The Body and Senses’ to ‘Sports and Amusements’,
from ‘Natural Phenomena’ to ‘Science and Technology’. Within these classes are subcategories, but
the hierarchy of these categories did not seem particularly intuitive as a basis for a focused search. This arrangement seems
to lend itself more to browsing than specific searching, and if the user is searching simply for a synonym, a dictionary type
of thesaurus will prove more efficient.
The beauty of the categorical arrangement is in its versatility: look a word up in the index to find a synonym, and as you
browse the page, you will find all sorts of related words, including antonyms. Word lists are another useful feature. For
example, if you are looking at the subject of lakes, you can browse a list of the world's major lakes. The list of phobias
is also impressive (find a name for any phobia – gringophobia or kakorraphiaphobia, anyone?).
The extensive index does make finding synonyms for an individual word easier. Section/subsection numbers are listed at the
top of each page to aid in locating words. The index also includes valuable tips on using the thesaurus effectively, but there
are no definitions or examples of usage, so if the user has no sense of the subtle variations of language, this book alone
may not suffice. Still, with over 325,000 words, a synopsis of categories, explanations of abbreviations and ample index,
this is a reference work that will serve users well.
*Note: The name ‘Roget’s’ is not copyrighted, so anyone can publish a “Roget’s Thesaurus”.
There are several versions available online; the thesaurus at reference.com (http://thesaurus.reference.com/) is quite good.
5. Encyclopedias
Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance. ~ Will Durant
Reference Type Subject Encyclopedia
Title Van Nostrand’s Scientific Encyclopedia
Author/Editor Glenn D. Considine & Peter H. Kulik
Publisher/Date/Edition Wiley-Interscience, c2002, Ninth Ed.
Target Audience Students (HS and beyond), science enthusiasts
Cost $395, 2-vol set.
Formats available Print, CD-ROM
The previous edition of Van Nostrand’s was published in 1994. The sheer volume of information to be updated - the explosion
of scientific and technical discovery – must have presented a daunting task.
The ninth edition admirably meets the challenge.
This reference addresses significant scientific advancements in a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including Animal
Life, Biosciences, Chemistry, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Energy Sources and Power Technology, Mathematics and Engineering
Sciences, Medicine, Anatomy, and Physiology, Physics, Plant Sciences, Space and Planetary Sciences; within these disciplines
are lists of topical coverage. A list of contributors with areas of expertise is included as well.
New entries in the ninth edition include:
• genetics engineering, cloning and the Human Genome Project
• biotechnology
• space shuttle, stations and spacecraft missions
• satellite communications and navigation
• medicines, vaccines, AIDs and STDs
• climate, acid rain and global warming
• computer sciences, internet and technology
Suggested readings at the end of articles have been updated, and include internet as well as print references. Another valuable
feature is the addition of time lines and glossaries to some of the major articles, providing a visually appealing perspective.
Brief biographies of many scientists have been added. Over 9,000 cross-references and a comprehensive index aid in retrieval
of information. The use of diagrams, graphs, tables and photographs enhances what could have been an intimidatingly text-heavy
reference work.
6. Geographic Sources
Reference Type World Atlas
Title Times Atlas of the World : Comprehensive Edition
Author/Editor Times of London
Publisher/Date/Edition Crown Publishers, c1999, Tenth Ed.
Target Audience General public
Cost $250
Formats available Print
This book is not only one of the most beautiful reference works ever published, it is one of the most enticing in layout,
organization of information and unmatched detail of graphics: maps, satellite images, charts, tables and photographs appeal
to the eye, complementing the text rather than distracting from it.
In both textbooks on reference work, the Times Atlas of the World is named the best single volume atlas available today(Katz,
2002)(Bopp & Smith, 1995). It provides well-balanced, comprehensive map coverage of all areas of the globe, including thematic
world maps, regional political and physical maps, and a gazetteer. The introductory section includes a list of Earth’s
physical features (rivers, mountains and so on) and a brief history of the evolution of cartography. The central section of
the book is devoted to clear, readable reference maps, showing recently created nations, redrawn political boundaries, and
changed names of towns and cities.
The table of contents is clear and easy to use, the maps are detailed, accurate and striking in their clarity and depth of
color. Text content is factual, easy to read and well-indexed, with reference to related maps. The glossary includes terms
in a number of languages, with the translations to English. The index is exemplary, providing explanations of abbreviations,
plate numbers and alphanumeric references – a total of over 200,000 entries.
This is not the best source if your library’s need is for detailed local and regional geographic information, and the
price is steep – perhaps beyond the library’s budget. But if the collection needs a balanced, accurate, reliable
and achingly gorgeous world atlas, nothing else can beat the Times Atlas of the World: Comprehensive Edition.
7. Bibliographies
Reference Type Annotated bibliography
Title Now read this: a guide to mainstream fiction
Author/Editor Nancy Pearl
Publisher/Date/Edition Libraries Unlimited, c1999
Target Audience Readers of genre fiction – mainstream
Cost $65 (as set with vol II, $80)
This reference provides an annotated list of mainstream fiction published mainly from 1978-1998 (genre fiction such as romance,
horror or adventure is addressed in the Genreflecting series). The selection of books is based largely on awards and appearances
on ALA Notable lists. Entries are arranged first by category of ‘appeal characteristics’ – those elements
of the novel that appeal to the reader. Categories include "Setting," "Story," "Characters," and "Language."; within each
category, selections are listed alphabetically by author. Each entry includes the author, title, publisher and publication
date. Along with a brief annotation, Pearl often provides a ‘second appeal’, as many books appeal to readers
on more than one level. Pearl also provides a list of subject headings, and recommendations for further reading. These may
include other books by the same author, similar books by other authors, nonfiction or poetry, genre or historical novels.
If an item is a good candidate for book discussion groups, a ‘Book Group’ icon appears below the annotation.
The introduction provides a valuable insight into the classification and organization of this book, with brief explanations
of the process of selection and the basis for the appeal characteristics. It is important to understand these principles to
get the full benefit of the Pearl’s expertise, and to become capable of making future recommendations. The multiple
indexes – title, author and subject - are very useful for cross-reference; authors and titles with individual entries
(rather than simply a mention in a main entry) are shown in bold typeface. Because the books included in this reference work
were selected from a relatively narrow range, many excellent novels and authors are not represented; still, this work deserves
prominent space in the reference collection. For a book of this size and scope, it succeeds in its goal of clearly distilling
elements of appeal – making “try this” recommendations just a little less of an educated-guessing game.
8. Indexes & Abstracts
We know so little and know it so fluently.
~ Ellen Glasgow
Reference Type Index
Title The Columbia Granger’s Index to Poetry in Anthologies
Author/Editor Tessa Kale, Ed.
Publisher/Date/Edition Columbia University Press, 2002, 12th ed.
Target Audience General Public
Cost $325
Granger’s Index to Poetry is one of the oldest continuously published reference works in the U.S. This edition contains
citations for over 80,000 poems, selected from anthologies of ‘high editorial and design standards, likely to be found
on library shelves’ (Kale, 2002). It includes content from 149 new anthologies, indexing 12,375 authors from all over
the world, from antiquity to the present.
The work is contained in one large volume (with quite small print), and consists of 3 sections: a title, first line and last
line index; author index; and subject index. The subject index covers over 4000 subjects, and lists citations alphabetically
by author. Within the author index, poems are listed alphabetically by title (or by first line, if untitled). The title, first
line, last line index is by far the largest section, as it includes listings for those three elements (last lines are designated
with an LL).
A list of anthologies with works cited in the Index is provided in the front of the book; the abbreviations for each are given
along with the anthology title, author/editor, and date/publisher. Recommended anthologies are marked with one asterisk*,
highly recommended with two asterisks**.
This is not a tome for casual browsing; it is heavy, a little unwieldy, and often requires jumping from section to section
for further information. It is, however, an excellent beast of burden, carrying the weight of many thousands of human thoughts
and dreams through the ages – and making those thoughts easy to find, retrieve and enjoy.
9. Government Documents
Reference Type Government Document Center
Website Name/Address University of Michigan Document Center
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/
Author/Institution The University of Michigan Library
Target Audience General Public, University Students
Cost Free
This is the site for ‘everything you wanted to know about government but were afraid to ask’. Hosted by the University
of Michigan, this federal depository library site offers a mind-boggling array of information and resources. The image below
shows the top portion of the documents homepage:
This section includes links to local, state, federal government and more:
Federal | Foreign | International | Local | Michigan | State
Docs in the News | Docs Librarianship | Political Science | Statistics
Class Assignments | Documents Center | Hours | MIRLYN
Special Projects | University Library | Web Licenses | What's New
Each link connects the user to further related resources. The federal link, for example, opens a page detailing federal sources
for information ranging from agency websites and directories to auctions, civil rights to copyrights, from patents to presidential
pardons (need to know who pardoned the most? http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/pardonspres1.htm ).
Do you want to find Federal Depository Libraries by state? Find one near you? http://www.gpoaccess.gov/libraries.html .
In addition to international and local resources, the document center links to documents related to:
Gay Marriage
Income Tax Forms
Iran's Weapons of Mass Destruction
Iraqi War Debate
Pope John Paul II
Second Bush Administration
Southeast Asian Tsunami
Terri Schiavo
U.S. Terrorist Attacks (September 11, 2001)
These are but a few of the links provided on the website; all tested links were valid and linked to the topic shown. Whether
all the information available is accurate and objective is uncertain; not all has been updated recently, but virtually all
links followed led to useful sources of information.
The entire site can be overwhelming to a casual browser, but for a patron searching for specific answers, or a student conducting
research, it is a gold mine – it may require a little digging, but the nuggets are there.
Bibliography
Bopp, R. & Smith, L. (Eds.) (1995). Reference and information services: an introduction. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited
British Broadcast Company, history, Peter Mark Roget.
Retrieved April 1 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/roget_peter_mark.shtml
Chapman, R.L.(1992) Roget’s international thesaurus, 5th Ed. New York: HarperCollins.
Kale, T. (Ed.) (2002). The Columbia Granger’s index to poetry in anthologies. New York: Columbia University Press.
Katz, W. (2002). Introduction to reference work: basic information services. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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