Reference Resources for General Research

Gale Virtual Reference Library: Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Once accessible only in the library, now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7. Each library creates its own eBook collection, so the content you see may vary at different libraries (your school, your public library, or your office). Library subscription
Oxford Reference Online: Covering the full spectrum of subjects: from General Reference & Language to Science & Medicine, from Humanities & Social Sciences to Business and Professional, Oxford Reference Online is a full & authoritative resource of over 100 dictionaries and reference titles. Library Subscription
Oxford English Dictionary: The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the accepted authority on the English language . It is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over a half a million words, present and past. The OED covers words from across the English-speaking world. The online version is updated quarterly. Library Subscription
Statistical Abstracts of the U.S.: Well indexed, comprehensive collection of statistics in tabular format. Includes basic statistics for a wide range of economic indicators. The index leads to specific table numbers. Each table lists the source of the statistics for further reference.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia: Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia database indexes over 25,000 records. Full text for each record may be easily accessed by double clicking on the topic from the display. This database is updated annually. EBSCO
Wikipedia: The Wikipedia is an Internet-based encyclopedia. As a wiki, anyone can edit, correct, and improve information in it. From the Wikipedia website - "Because Wikipedia is an on-going work to which in principle anybody can contribute, it differs from a paper-based reference source in some very important ways. In particular, older articles tend to be more comprehensive and balanced, while newer articles may still contain significant misinformation, unencyclopedic content, or vandalism. Users need to be aware of this in order to obtain valid information and avoid misinformation which has been recently added and not yet removed."
Information Please: Provides almanac, atlas, dictionary, and other facts.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: An online database of all Federal programs available to State and local governments, profit and non-profit institutions, and individuals.
Thesaurus.com: Website with Roget's New Millenium Thesaurus. Some premium content is available only to subscribers.
Farmers' Almanac: Online version of the popular Farmers' Almanac. In keeping with the Almanac's goal of being informative as well as entertaining, the site, which provides only a selection of the features contained in the print version, offers astronomical data, gardening information, and cooking and household hints. Also provides a list of links to other useful resources.