Specialized information sources

Bibliographic tools
Bibliography:
Strictly speaking, a systematic list or enumeration of written works by a specific author or on a given subject, or which share one or more common characteristics (language, form, period, place of publication, etc.). (ODLIS) http://lu.com/odlis/

The two main sorts of bibliography are:
Enumerative or systematic bibliography: the listing of books according to some system or reference plan, for example, by author, by subject, or by date. A library’s catalogue is an example of an enumerative bibliography, and so is the list at the back of a book of works consulted, or a book like the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature.

Analytical or critical bibliography: the study of books as physical objects; the details of their production, the effects of the method of manufacture on the text. Analytical bibliography may deal with the history of printers and booksellers, with the description of paper or bindings, or with textual matters arising during the progression from writer’s manuscript to published book. May be divided into:

Historical bibliography: the history of books broadly speaking, and of the persons, institutions, and machines producing them.

Textual bibliography or textual criticism: the relationship between the printed text as we have it before us, and that text as conceived by its author.

Descriptive bibliography: the close physical description of books. How is the book put together? What sort of type is used and what kind of paper? How are the illustrations incorporated into the book? How is it bound? (Terry Belanger, “Descriptive Bibliography.” In Jean Peters, ed. Book Collecting: A Modern Guide. New York: Bowker, 1977, pp. 97-101).

Enumerative/Systematic bibliographies: Types, characteristics and uses

Type	Characteristics	Uses
Library catalogues	List materials held in library collection	Locate item in library collection by: author, title, subject, keyword.Verify if item is held by a particular library
Union catalogues	List material held in collections of many libraries	Check multiple libraries at once to locate an item by author, title, subject, keyword.Verify it item actually exists. Determine who holds a particular item.
Trade bibliographies	Commercial publications providing information for selection and acquisition of published material. Shows which titles currently available from a publisher/producer.	Verify existence of a work published in a particular country.Look at publication history of a country.
National bibliographies	Comprehensive list of materials published in a particular country. Typically produced under auspices of a national library or other agency which is charged by law with the receipt by legal deposit of copyrighted materials.	Verify existence of a work published in a particular country.Look at publication history of a country.
Bibliographies	List of works compiled under some common principle, such as author, subject, place of publication, or printer. Researchers in a particular subject area may produce a bibliography on that topic (e.g. Aboriginal Health Bibliography). Speciallized types of bibliographies include discographies (listing of music written or played by an artist), or a filmography (listing of movies of an actor or director).	Find a comprehensive list of resources on a particular person or subject.Find a comprehensive list of a particular type of resource (e.g. music or film).
Biblilography of bibliographies	General in scope. Used to identify bibliographies on a specific subject.	Good starting place for finding a bibliography on a specific subject.

Representative sources
Library catalogues
Red River College http://icarus.rrc.mb.ca/
University of Manitoba Libraries. BISON. http://bison.umanitoba.ca/
University of Winnipeg. Library Catalogue http://mercury.uwinnipeg.ca/
Winnipeg Public Library http://wpl-pac.winnipeg.ca/

Union catalogues
AMICUS http://amicus.collectionscanada.ca/aaweb/aalogine.htm
Produced and maintained by the National Library of Canada. Includes over 26 million bibliographic records describing books, magazines, government documents, theses, sound recordings, maps, etc.; 47 million holdings from over 1,300 Canadian libraries, including NLC.

MAPLIN
The provincial union catalogue for Manitoba public libraries. Also includes Legislative Library, Hudson Bay’s Company Archives and Industrial Technology Centre. MAPLIN no longer exists, with each provincial library system maintaining its own union catalogue.

OCLC WorldCat (available on FirstSearch)
A composite online catalog of the collections of the 24,000 member libraries of the OCLC consortium, comprising more than 36 million records for books, serials, manuscript collections, audiovisual materials, computer files, and other media.

National bibliographies
Canadiana: The National Bibliography
Since 1950 the library has been producing Canadiana, a comprehensive bibliography which documents the nation’s published heritage. Canadiana lists and describes a wide variety of publications produced in Canada, or published elsewhere but of special interest or significance to Canada. These include books, periodicals, sound recordings, microforms, music scores, pamphlets, government documents, theses, educational kits, video recordings and electronic documents. Available on CD-ROM or on AMICUS.

British National Bibliography (BNB) http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/atyourdesk/docsupply/productsservices/bnb/index.html
Books and new serials have been recorded since 1950 in the British National Bibliography (BNB). The BNB is the single most comprehensive listing of UK titles. The records are also available online on the British Library Public Catalogue (BLPC).

Bibliographie Nationale Française
French national bibliography: books, serials, maps, music, government documents published in France since 1970.

Trade bibliographies

Books in Print

Canadian Books in Print

Whitaker’s Books in Print (United Kingdom)

Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory
Annual listing of currently available periodicals. Worldwide coverage.

Online “bookstore” sites eroding use of trade bibliographies, e.g. Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/ chapters.indigo.ca http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/Default.asp

Bibliographies of bibliographies
Besterman, Theodore. A World Bibliography of Bibliographies and of Bibliographical Catalogues, Calendars, Abstracts, Digests, Indexes, and the Like. Fourth revised and expanded edition. Lausaunne: Societas Bibliographica, 1965-66. 5 vols.

A classified bibliography of separately published bibliographies of books, manuscripts, and popular abridgements. International in scope.

Supplemented by: Tooney, Alice F. A World Bibliography of Bibliographies, 1964-1974: A List of Works Represented by Library of Congress Printed Catalog Cards: A Decennial Supplement to Theodore Bestermann, A World Bibliography of Bibliographies. Totowa, NK: Rowman and Littlefield, 1977. 2 vols.

Bibliographic Index: A Cumulative Bibliography of Bibliographies. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1937-.
An alphabetical subject arrangement of separately published bibliographies and bibliographies included in books and periodicals. Almost 2,600 periodicals, including many in foreign languages, are now examined regularly. An extensive list, useful in itself and as a valuable complement to Theodore Bestermann, A world bibliography of bibliographies. (Balay, AA15)

A Way with words and images

Do not say or use	Do use or say
Use images that isolate or call special attention to persons with disabilities unless appropriate to the subject matter	Use images that show persons with disabilities participating in society
Use actors or models without disabilities to represent persons with disabilities	Use actors or models with disabilities to portray persons with disabilities
Always depict the super-achieving individual to represent all persons with disabilities	Depict whenever possible, the typical individual who has a disability
Aged (the), Elderly (the), Adjectives like frail, senile or feeble suggest a negative image of seniors and should not be used	Seniors
Birth defect, congenital defect, deformity
Blind (the), Visually impaired (the) Confined to a wheelchair, wheelchair-bound	Person who is blind, person with a visual impairment Person who uses a wheelchair, Wheelchair user for individuals with mobility impairment, a wheelchair is a means to get around independently, Person with a disability, person with a mobility impairment, person who has arthritis, a spinal cord injury, etc.
Hard of hearing (the), hearing impaired	Person who is hard of hearing. These individuals are not deaf and may compensate for a hearing loss with an amplification device or system.
Deaf-mute, deaf and dumb	Person who is deaf. Culturally-linguistic deaf people (that is, sign language users) are properly identified as "the Deaf" (upper-case "D"). People who do not use sign language are properly referred to as "the deaf" (lower-case "d") or "people who are deaf".
Epileptic (the)	Person who has epilepsy.
Fit, attack, spell	Seizure
Handicapped (the)	Person with a disability, unless referring to an environmental attitudinal barrier. In such instances "person who is handicapped by" is appropriate.
Handicapped parking, bathrooms	Accessible parking, bathrooms
Insane lunatic maniac mental person mentally diseased neurotic psycho psychotic schizophrenic unsound mind	Persons with a mental health disability, person who has schizophrenia, person who has depression. It is important to remember that the development of appropriate terminology is still in progress: however, the terms are currently in use. The term "insane" (unsound mind) should only be used in strictly legal sense. Obviously words such as "crazy", "demented", "deviant", "loony", "mad" and "nuts" should be avoided.
Invalid	Person with a disability. The literal sense of the words "invalid" is "not valid".
Learning disabled, learning disordered, the dyslexics	A person with a learning disability or persons with learning disabilities.
Mentally retarded defective feeble minded idiot imbecile moron retarded simple mongoloid	Person with an intellectual disability, person who is intellectually impaired. One can say a person with Down's Syndrome only if relevant to the story.
Normal Normal is only acceptable in reference to statistics (i.e. the norm)	Person who is not disabled.
Patient	Person with a disability. Unless the relationship being referred to is between a doctor and client.
Physically challenged Differently able	Person with a disability
She/he has a problem with...	She/he has a need for...
Spastic	Person who has spasms Spastic should never be used as a norm
Suffers from afflicted by stricken with	Person with a disability, person who has cerebral palsy, etc. Having a disability is not synonymous with suffering.
Victim of cerebal palsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, etc.	Person who has cerebal palsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, etc. Person with a disability. Person with a mobility impairment.

Almanacs, yearbooks, handbooks and manuals: representative titles and websites

Required reading
“Just the facts: a look at almanacs,” Christine Bulson. Booklist, May 15, 2003. http://www.ala.org/booklist/speciallists/speciallistsandfeatures3/justfactslook.htm (link no longer valid)
Also available on Academic Search Premier

Almanacs
Canadian
Canadian Almanac & Directory Ref AY 414 .C35
Canada’s oldest almanac (1847-). Arranged in ten sections. Almost 90% directory rather than almanac type information. Includes directories of organizations, government, arts and culture, business and finance, health, education, and legal.

Canadian Global Almanac: A Book of Facts Ref AY 414 .C381
Included in Electric Library Canada’s online subscription database. Modeled on the World Almanac. Provides information on Canada’s geography, history, population, government and economy. Large sections are devoted to arts, entertainment and sports. Section summarizing past year’s news events. A third of the almanac is devoted to world history and geography.

Canadiana Quick Reference
Online source from National Library of Canada. Provides answers to some of the “quick reference” questions that the National Library receives regularly.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/8/111/index-e.html (link no longer valid)

Scott’s Canadian Sourcebook Ref AY 414 .C67
Formerly Canadian Sourcebook, previously the Corpus Almanac and Canadian Sourcebook. Annual source of government information, demographic trends, and statistics; also provides directory information, for government departments and associations. Divided into 19 sections including general information, geography and natural resources, travel and tourism, health care, people, religion, education, communications, business, industry and trade, science and technology in Canada, etc.

Other
CNN.com Daily Almanac
http://www.cnn.com/almanac/daily/
Online almanac. Features daily news highlights, future events, and a list of famous occurrences for every day of the year. Includes chronological archive.

Farmer’s Almanac
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/
Includes weather forecasts, gardening, astronomy, best days, household tips, recipes, etc.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac
http://www.almanac.com/
This Website is based on the print version of The Old Farmers’ Almanac. Provides weather forecasts for the year, information on sunrises, sunsets, and tides, recipes, gardening tips, and additional information. Also gives facts on today in history, advice, a puzzle, and a question of the day.

The Time Almanac
http://www.infoplease.com/almanacs.html
Continues Information Please Almanac. Assembly of facts and statistics on just about anything – famous people, demographic data, geography, history, and more. American bias. Available on the Web as Information Please Almanac.
Online kids version available on Fact Monster site. http://www.factmonster.com/almanacs.html

Whitaker’s Almanack. Ref AY 33 .W4
British. British and Commonwealth bias. More detail on Europe than U.S. almanacs. Includes info on British nobility. Publisher’s Web site http://whitakersalmanack.com/

World Almanac And Book Of Facts Ref AY 67 .N5 W7
Started in 1868 by New York News newspaper. A basic reference source. Includes some colour photographs. Available electronically through FirstSearch and other database providers. Includes miscellaneous facts of all kinds, population figures, awards, weights and measures, capsule histories, vital stats for states, countries, major U.S. countries. Updated via monthly World Almanac E-Newsletter.

World Almanac for Kids Online at http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/ Companion site to print volume.

Bowker Annual: Library and Book Trade Almanac PS Z 471 .A47
Almanac of stats, legislation, grants, directory info, short articles on topics of current interest to library and publishing fields, etc. Since 1994 trends and issues in library and information services in Canada have been identified in an annual report in the Bowker Annual.

Yearbooks
Annual Register: A Yearbook Of World Events Ref D 2 .A7
Published in Britain. Includes year’s events in areas of politics, economics, international relations, religion, arts, law, science, etc. Overviews of countries, reports on U.N., European Union and other international bodies. Obituaries, stats, text of documents, abstracts of important speeches included in last chapter.

Canada Yearbook Ref HA 741 .C3
From Statistics Canada. Contains 15 chapters in 4 thematic sections: the environment, the people, the economy, the nation. Standard Canadian statistical reference source. As of 1980-1981 edition, published biennially. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/kits-trousses/edu01a_0000-eng.htm

Europa World Year Book Ref JN 1 .E85
Two volume set covering international organizations, then A-Z by country name. Gives introductory survey, statistical survey, the government, political parties, the constitution, judicial system, diplomatic representation, religion, press, publishers, radio/tv, finance trade and industry, transport and tourism.

Statesman’s Yearbook Ref JA 51 .S7
Smaller print and fewer stats than Europa but much cheaper. Initial section on international organizations then countries covered A-Z but more emphasis on U.K. and U.S. Includes general climate, area, population, brief history, finance, etc.

Handbooks and manuals
Anniversaries and Holidays / Bernard Trawicky. Ref GT 3930 .T73 2000
Includes calendars of fixed and moveable days. Section on calendar systems plus selective list of references.

Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia Ref PN 41 .B4
Biographical notes on writers, artists, musicians, philosophers, historical figures; plot and character synopses. Includes legends, allusions, literary terms, etc.

Brewer’s Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable Ref PN 43 .B65 2000
Covers mythological references, fictional characters, colloquialisms, proverbial phrases, etc., plus all kinds of miscellaneous info. 1898 edition on Web at http://www.bartleby.com/81/

Chicago Manual of Style Ref Z 253 .U69 2003
MLA Handbook For Writers Of Research Papers LB 2369 3G53 2003
Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association Ref BF 76.7 .P83 2001
See Ithaca College Library Ready Reference: Online Style Manuals Web page which provides links to APA, MLA, Turabian/Chicago, CBE, and others.
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/research/linking.php

Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties: The Canadian Reference for the Health Professionals
1993 ed. Ref RS 141.23 .C6
Commonly called CPS. Standard work used by pharmacists and doctors for info on drug products available in Canada both prescription and non-prescription. Gives uses and side effects. Info is provided by pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Country Profiles http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm
From the BBC, full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of individual countries.

Country Reports http://countryreports.org/
Wealth of information on all of the countries of the world. Up-to-date information on population, geography, economy, history and politics. Audio clips of national anthems (by subscription) and links to current weather reports.

Emily Post’s Etiquette. 16th ed. 1997.
If you’re wondering when to put a napkin in your lap and which foods may be eaten with fingers, the information’s still there. But situations Emily never dreamed of--matters of e-mail, cellular phones, step parents, fourth weddings, and in-line skating--are considered.

Familiar Quotations: Collections of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature. 16th ed. Alternate title: Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations. Ref PN 6081 .B27
The most famous book of quotations. Quotations date from ancient to modern times. 1919 10th ed. online at http://www.bartleby.com/100/

Famous First Facts: Record of First Happenings, Discoveries, And Inventions In American History / Joseph Nathan Kane. Ref AG 5 .K34
Covers 1st happenings: events, discoveries, inventions in the U.S. Index by year, date, subject, personal name, geographic location.

Guinness Book of Records. Ref AG 243 .G94
Began publication in 1956 to help settle arguments in bars. Biggest, tallest, most, etc. Web site at http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com

InfoNation
http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation3/menu/advanced.asp
Allows you to view and compare statistical data for all UN member states. You can select up to five countries for comparison from the menu. Statistics and indicators are provided by the United Nations Statistical Division, from the World Statistics Pocketbook, Statistical Yearbook and Demographic Yearbook 1995.

New York Public Library Desk Reference Ref AG 6 .N49
Done by a “book packager,” Stonesong Press, whose editors interviewed librarians and hired writers for each section. Provides answers to commonly sought questions, based on questions asked of librarians at NYPL. Divided into 26 categories including household tips, math and science basics, etc. Language is clearer and simpler than that found in most almanacs.

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. 5th ed. Ref PN 6080 .O95 1999
Quotations are arranged alphabetically, by author. There is also a full thematic index, starting with Administration, Age, and America, and running through to War, Weather, and Youth. It is followed by a comprehensive keyword index.

Robert’s Rules of Order.
Scott, Foreman Robert’s Rules of Order. 9th ed. 1999 Ref JF 515 .R692
Webster’s New World Robert’s Rules of Order: Simplified and Applied. Robert McConnell Productions. JF 515 .W75 1999
Guide for parliamentary procedure. Numerous versions exist. 1915 version on Web at http://www.constitution.org/rror/rror--00.htm

Symbols.com
A free Web resource at http://www.symbols.com. Contains more than 2,500 Western signs arranged into 54 groups according to their graphic characteristics.

The World Fact Book
Array of facts and statistics on more than 250 countries. Produced by CIA’s Directorate of Intelligence. Available on Web at http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook

For links to other Internet sites see:

Fast Facts: Almanacs/Factbooks/Statistical Reports and Related Reference Tools
http://www.freepint.com/gary/handbook.htm
From Gary Price. An excellent guide to sites containing quick facts on a wide range of social, economic and political topics. US focused but does have international coverage including Canada, the provinces and other countries around the world. No longer updated.

Miscellaneous Reference Sources
http://web.archive.org/web/20060213222844/http://library.mtroyal.ca/subguides/miscelan.htm
Internet subject guide from Mount Royal College in Calgary. Covers Almanacs, Clocks and Calendars, Numbers and Measures, Science and Technology, Symbols and Trivia.

Quotations
http://web.archive.org/web/20060202130026/http://library.mtroyal.ca/subguides/quotation.htm
Internet subject guide from Mount Royal College in Calgary.