Booklist Online: Book Reviews from the American Library Association

Those of you who subscribe to Credo Reference can now purchase nearly 70  SAGE Reference titles in your subscription.  The titles look great and include the very popular Ency. of Global Warming, Ency. of Disability, and the Ency. of Counseling.
In the Credo Reference press release, John Dove, Credo President said “Librarians have long called for [...]

Gale announced the release of two new 4 volume encyclopedias - Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of World Literature and Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of American Literature.  According to a Gale Press Release, the encyclopedias discuss an authors work/s in context including:

Circumstances in the authors’  lives that are reflected in their work
Historical Events affecting their work
Other authors and [...]

The P (print) vs. E (electronic) debate started with reference publishing, and for the past decade or so anyone  involved in publishing, writing about, and using reference sources has had to navigate a whole new territory. It’s been exciting to get immersed in this alternate universe, but at the same time I confess I’ve envied my colleagues here at Booklist who [...]

I spent Monday with several librarians in a discussion on the future eReference platform.  I’m referring to products like Credo Reference, GVRL, Sage Reference Online, Oxford Scholarship Online, etc.  Our discussion revolved around platform features, good features and not so good features.  I’m going to list some highlights of the discussion below, but would really [...]

It seems nearly all database providers are offering free widgets these days.  Widgets are search boxes embedded in a website, email, course management system, or other online source to provide easy searching and access to information.  Britannica, Ebsco, Gale, Infobase, Credo Reference, and a host of others offer widgets.  Sara Kelly Johns, one of the [...]

A classic reference title is now available online.  Gale/Cengage announced at ALA that the 17 volume Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia has been transformed to an interactive, media-rich online product (yes, this means subscription).  Touted as a knowledge portal, Grzimek’s will feature over 4000 species.  The online product will include audio tracks, maps, photos, videos, interactive [...]

This morning in the McCormick Center RBB hosted a lively and informative program, “Rethinking the Reference Collection,” in a packed room in the new West wing of the convention center.  Dave Tyckoson, head of reference services from Fresno State spoke from the academic libraries viewpoint; Barbara Bibel, reference librarian from Oakland Public Library spoke from [...]