ABSTRACT

    Susan Tidd and I collaborated to review the following collection of Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Handbooks. Specifically, I reviewed the books from the first half of the list while she reviewed the second half. We communicated via email and online chatting, sharing our progress, problems, etc. We come away from this project with a tool to which we can refer when simply online searching isn’t enough.

Purpose: To provide facts, figures and reports relevant to the field of library science.

Scope: Pertinent to the field of library science, includes research and statistics, reference information, and a directory of information.  Annually updated.

Format: Contents section contains italicized subheadings. Information includes title, author (in italics), followed by the page number. Single column per page.  Lots of text (no charts, graphs, illustrations).

Entries: Range from reports from the field; legislation, funding and grants; library/information science education, placement, and salaries.

Overall Evaluation: Necessary for all libraries, whether public or academic, not necessarily in circulation for the patrons, but rather as a reference tool for the workers. The information found in this book is relevant to their field of service.  As a part time librarian and current library graduate student, I found this book very interesting, especially the section on job placement percentages and average salaries.

Citation: Calhoun, D. (Ed.). (1999). Britannica Book of the Year. Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

Authority: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. was originally established in Scotland in the 1700’s before reaching Chicago, IL. Printed products of Britannica sets were owned by leading historical figures such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.  Today, its products range in diversity, in order to accommodate for technological needs.

Purpose: To index facts of the previous year as a supplemental guide to Encyclopedia Britannica. Includes a chronology of events, obituaries, articles.

Scope: Contents section lists the information covered in the edition: commentary, the year in review, people of that year, events of that year, world data (statistics, graphs, charts, and maps), and an index.

Format: Multiple columns per page. Color photographs.  Contributor section includes each contributor’s credentials.  Day by day calendar.

Entries: Quotations boxed (in color) in the middle of entries catch the reader’s attention.  Entries are very detailed and easy to read.

Online version: Offers 72 hours of free trial access. Users have access to three encyclopedias: Encyclopedia Britannica, Britannica Student Encyclopedia, and Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, in addition to research tools such as Webster's dictionary and thesaurus.

Overall Evaluation: I was not impressed with the forward of this book, as it only talked about the specifics of this edition as opposed to providing background information the source. That being said, the actual material was extensive.  Since the materials covers such a broad range of topics, and since regular users must pay for a subscription to have online access, the set would be a useful reference resource to have access to in a library.

Citation: The Cambridge Factfinder.

Overall Evaluation: The following academic libraries did not have this book: Wheaton College, Stonehill College, Bridgewater State College.  Based on this, the book does not appear to be one of the more essential ones.  From the website (http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/email.asp?isbn=0521637708) I learned that the book contains line diagrams, graphs, tables, figures, maps, music examples and genealogical tables. Topics covered include economics, the environment, geography, material in literature, television, and music. Color photographs.

Citation: Chase’s Calendar of Events. (2007). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Authority: Founded by William and Harrison Chase in 1957. Quoted in this edition: “most respected and comprehensive reference available on holidays, events, and special days, weeks, and months.” Contributors include event sponsors, CVB’s, chambers of commerce, tourism agencies, non profit organizations, sporting organizations, publicists, and many more.

Purpose: To provide a single reference source for calendar dates.

Scope: (2007 edition): 752 pages with over 12,000 entries. Published annually.

Format: Inside cover contains a “how to use this book” section on bright yellow pages. Two columns per page. Black and white illustrations. Other sections include “Spotlight on the past,” “Spotlight on world anniversaries,” and “Spotlight on people” (denoted by yellow pages).

Entries: Listed in chronological order. Topic if each entry written in bold capital text. In addition to describing the event of the day, the name of the person to contact for more information is also included. In addition to event entries, the book contains information on United States abbreviations and city capitals, each state’s governor and senator, members of the Supreme Court, and an awards section.

Overall Evaluation: Print edition also contains the added bonus of a CD Rom.  Very useful resource.  User friendly.  Information the most obscure events.  Multiple methods of searching (by event, by date, by keyword, etc).  In addition, useful ready-reference information on individual states in the U.S.

Citation: The Chicago Style Manual. (2003). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Authority: This edition includes a wider range of advisors in order to accommodate for “new needs” (technological and literary). These advisors include scholars, publishing professionals, writers familiar with book and journal publishing, journalism, and electronic publishing.

Purpose: To serve as a reference tool for technically accurate and acceptable writing.

Scope: Focuses on the specific needs of users (who are writers and editors of scholarly books and journals). Topics include: parts of a published work; manuscript preparation and manuscript editing; proofs; rights and permissions; grammar and usage; punctuation; spelling, distinctive treatment of words, and compounds; names and terms; numbers; foreign language; quotations and dialogue; illustrations and captions; tables; mathematics in type; abbreviations; documentation I: basic patterns; documentation II: specific content; and indexes.

Format: Eighteen sections (see scope) which are further broken down into sections by numbers.  The section number is the top heading of each page, page numbers are at the bottom of each page. Chapter title is on the left side of the top heading; Subdivision/section is the on the right side of the top heading.

Entries: The topic of each entry is italicized. A lot if text, some sample pages which are on a light blue page. Examples are distinguished by blue/gray text.

Online: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/about.html Free trial available ($25 for the first year). Question and answer section where users can submit a specific question. Quick guide is divided into two parts: humanities style and author dates system. Limited use of color (the majority of the text is light grey, which is difficult to read). Similarly, others colors used are light and do not contrast enough with the white background to make it pleasing to the eye.

Overall Evaluation: Very old fashioned in appearance. Lots of text. Not very user friendly. Searching by section numbers is somewhat difficult. However, the preface, which clearly identifies what is “new” in the edition, is useful.

Citation: Walker, J. and Taylor, T. (1998). The Columbia Guide to Online Style. New York: Columbia University Press.

Authority: The Columbia University Press was founded in 1893.  It is currently the fourth oldest university press in the country, publishing over 150 titles each year in a variety of fields.

Purpose: Direct quote from the text: “to provide an authoritative guide to the world of online writing and publishing.”

Scope: Covers a wide range of citations for electronic sources: Web logs and pod casts, online and print documents, styles for humanities and scientific projects, full-text and full-image articles from online library databases, graphics and multimedia files.

Format: Two parts: citation and production (six chapters). Pages have boxes to break up the text. The use of various shades of black and grey behind the text make it more aesthetically pleasing. Sections are numbered.

Entries: Include samples. Text is mixed in with the samples. The language is easy to understand. The contents section is a useful reference to find quick results without having to read through all of the text.

Online: http://wwwcolumbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/index.html. Image of the print version is on the top left side of the main page. Lots of text; does provide a few examples. Special notes sections is designated in bold. Might be useful for a quick reference, but does not appear to be as detailed as the actual book.

Overall Evaluation: The preface was very wordy.  Graphics help make the text easier to read. The samples are a nice feature.

Citation: Maher, J. (Ed.). (2004). The Europa World Year Book 2004. New York: Europa Publications. (Two volume set)

Authority: Revised and updated by a variety of methods: mailings to institutions, national statistics offices, and government departments.

Scope: Volume 1 has information on over 1,650 international organizations, as well as information on the countries Afghan thru Jordan (alphabetically). The second volume continues with countries Kazakhstan thru Zimbabwe.

Format: Inside front and back cover has a colored map of the world. The first section of volume 1 (the international organizations section) includes detailed articles. Each country is in the form of a chapter. Information includes introduction survey (recent history, economic affairs, government, defense, education, public holidays); economic and demographic survey (statistics); and a directory section (names, addresses, etc. of government, religious groups, media, etc.). Multiple columns on thin newspaper like pages.

Entries: Contain an abundant amount of information; surveys are detailed and have lots of text. Charts make it easier to read, as does the use of bold, capital letters and varying font size.

Online: http://www.europaworld.com Subscription required; free trial available. Nice use of vibrant color and text in boxes to make it aesthetically pleasing. Special newsflash and product news section on main page. Also on the main page are recent elections and recent events.

Overall Evaluation: A lot of information on foreign countries makes it a nice resource to have available, though much of the content of information is probably readily available online.  Wheaton keeps its copies of the set in the stacks as opposed to the reference room, which leads one to wonder how often it gets used.

Citation: Facts on File World News Digest.

* Available online at Wheaton through LexisNexis.

Authority: Ranked one of the top ten reference “sources of the millennium” by Library Journal. 65+ years.

Purpose: To index world news articles. Online version updated on a weekly basis.

Scope: Over 200,000 full text news articles from 1940 through the present. Over 500,000 hyperlinks.

Format: Categories include general news, today’s news, U.S. news, world news. Live Reuters news feed, which is updated hourly. Four sources of news: North/South America news, European news, Asia/Pacific news, and Middle East/Africa news.

Entries: Full text of articles available. Complete bibliographic information.

Online: http://www.facts.com/index.htm Subscription required (free trial available). FactsforLearning is designated for children in grades two through eight. Limited access to those without subscriptions.

Overall Evaluation: Credible, updated frequently.  A valuable investment.

Citation: The Guinness Book of World Records. New York: Bantam Books.

Online: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/ (online version was the only edition available for the purpose of this evaluation).

Authority: Sir Hugh Beaver originally came up with the idea for this reference book in 1951. The first edition was published in 1955. Today, it is the global leader in world records, selling over 100 million copies in 100 different countries and 37 languages. The 2002 edition was on the New Times Bestseller list for a record breaking twenty weeks. A “Records Management Team” is responsible for guaranteeing accuracy and relevance. A fact is not a record until it has been “tested, verified, and elevated above all suspicion.”

Purpose: A resource of world records.

Scope: Users can view the website in a variety of languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Topics include: human body; amazing feats; natural world; science and technology; arts and media; modern society; travel and transportation; sports and games.

Format: Animated main page (blue figures move around the screen). Subheadings include “records,” “the book,” “news,” “events,” “GWR TV,” and “media zone.” User can create a user name and log in to learn how to become a world record holder.

Entries: Each entry is given inside a box, which is the color of the corresponding to the subject (human body = purple; amazing feats = orange; natural world = green; science and technology = grey; arts and media = red; modern society = teal; travel and transportation = light blue; sports and games = dark blue). They resemble a deck of Trivial Pursuit cards. Information inside the box is set up in the following format: who, what, where, when. These headings are in capital letters and are bold. Below this list are a picture of the entry and a brief paragraph of description.

Overall Evaluation: Clearly a lot of time and effort went in to setting up this website. The best word to describe it is fun. The use of animation and color makes it exciting and user friendly.  There is an abundant amount of information and it is fun browsing through the records. In fact, the information contained on the website goes beyond that of just the actual records, as there sections devoted to actually learning how to become a record holder as well as current news and events and related media. No subscription is necessary to use the website, making it inviting to anyone of any age, whose purpose is academic or simply to have fun searching through the records.

Citation: Johnson, O. (ed.). (1992). The 1992 Information Please Almanac. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Authority: Houghton Mifflin is a world renown publisher of educational materials. The Information Please almanac began in 1938 as a radio show; the first almanac was published in 1947. Online version began in 1988.

Purpose: To index factual information on a multitude of topics.

Scope: Facts on sports, entertainment, business and economy, taxes, first aid, nutrition and health, headline history, world statistics and nations of the world, astronomy, space and aviation travel, drugs and abuse, geography and atlases, and an index.

Format: Comprehensive index in the front; no preface or introduction. Usually two columns per page. Pages are black and white. Use of bold lettering to make text stand out. Top of page contains the page number and subject.

Entries: Vary between charts, lists, and text. Very detailed. Contain statistics. Included is a sixteen page color atlas, as well as a special “year in pictures” section (black and white).

Online: http://www.infoplease.com/ No subscription necessary. Much more interesting than the print version. More user friendly. Use of color, images. Subjects are broken down on the left hand column. Up to the minute relevant articles are listed on the main page.

Overall Evaluation: Referring to the contents section is a necessity simply because this book covers so much information. A preface would have been a useful tool for providing background information about the book, the publisher, the scope, reliability, etc. Scope of information covered is overwhelming, making it a useful source to have available to patrons in any type of library.

Citation: Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/

Authority: Largest internet movie database worldwide. Visited by over 42 million users per month.

Purpose: To index movies – both in the theaters and on DVD.

Scope: Translated sites include Italian and Dutch. The information comes from multiple sources: some is gathered by IMDb, the rest is submitted by people in the industry and website users. Over 470,000 titles are indexed. Statistics page let users now information such as the number of titles, the number of links, the number of awards, and the number of people (actors, directors, writers, etc.).

Format: Variety of color (a lot of blue). Many subtopics; for example, the top row of tabs includes “now playing,” “movie/TV reviews,” “DVD/video,” “IMDb TV,” “message boards,” “show times and tickets,” and “games.” Below that are more subtopics: home, top movies, photos, independent films, browse, and help. Search boxes are also present. An upcoming section allows users to see new DVD’s (released this week) as well as upcoming releases.

Entries: Contain the following information for each movie: director, writing credits, link to watch the trailer, photo gallery, show times and tickets, genre, tagline, plot outline, user comments, cast (and characters), rating, run time, country, language, color (or not), sound mix, and certification.

Overall Evaluation: This website is a lot of fun. It allows viewers to see other viewer’s comments on each particular film in addition to contributing one’s own comments.  Similarly, if a viewer does not wish to be influenced by the opinion of others, non biased, factual information is in abundance (such as the plot summary). Since this website is free, anyone can benefit from it. Highly recommended for those looking to go out to the movies (theaters and show times are also included on the site) or rent a movie at home.

Citation: Famous First Facts, electronic edition

http://www.hwwilson.com/Databases/fam1stec.htm

Authority: H W Wilson:  Founded by Halsey William Wilson, this publishing company has been in existence for over one hundred years.  Other popular indexes include Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature, The Reference Shelf, Bibliographic Index, and Library Literature.  Offers sixty four reference databases. Joseph Nathan Kane: founder, author of the print edition of Famous First Facts. Known as a “fact collector extraordinaire.”

Purpose: To provide information on inventions, discoveries, and first happenings in American history.

Scope: Thousands of entries that date from the time the first human artifacts are said to have been found in America (10,000 B.C.) through 1997.

Format: Multiple ways to search: subject category, keyword, personal names, city, state, date, and year.

Entries: Include the following information: accession number, copyright, city, date, descriptor, record type, fact, geographic place, state or country, personal name, publication year, main heading, article heading, source, text indicator, and year of event.

Overall Evaluation: Useful for historians, teachers, students and librarians. Accessible collection of historical facts.

Citation: McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology. (2006). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Authority: A board of consulting editors and editorial staff review the contributions, which are articles by an authority in that subject field.

Purpose: To index articles published in the field of science and technology on an annual basis.

Scope: Provides a broad overview of recent developments in science, technology, and engineering.  Target audience is the non-specialist, in addition to the specialist.

Format: Organized alphabetically by subject. Two columns per page. Black and white photos mixed with purple text. Contains graphs, images, diagrams, etc. The beginning of the book contains a list of articles by title. The author is listed underneath the title; however, the page number is not.

Entries: Separated by a purple bar. Denoted by a bold title. The content varies depending on the author of the article. A bibliography is provided at the end of each entry.

Online: http://www.accessscience.com/ Free trial subscription available. Use of color, images. The site tour is not only a virtual exploration, but also a verbal explanation. User friendly. Ability to print or email full text articles. The website is much more exciting than the print version.

Overall Evaluation: A useful resource for librarians, students, teachers, the scientific community, journalists and writers.  However, not a necessity. Subscription to the website would be a more worthwhile investment.