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Encyclopedias, Atlases and Dictionaries combines two Bowker classics Reference Books for Young Readers and General Reference Books for Adults into one easy-to-use volume that supplies the most extensive and objective reviews of general titles available. Compiled in cooperation with experienced librarians and subject experts, this guide profiles and evaluates over 200 general encyclopedias, world atlases, and general dictionaries currently available in the United States. Features include: clear, succinct reviews of each reference work that consider such facts as scope, format authority, clarity, accessibility, and special features. *charts that offer comparisons of titles by scope, level and cost. *Facts at a Glance at the beginning of each review. *Facsimile pages from each titles. *Full coverage of large-print reference works. *Extensive coverage of electronic reference works, including a chapter entitled What to Look for in Electronic Reference Works.
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der Marion
Two earlier Bowker publications, Reference Books for Young Readers (1988) and General Reference Books for Adults (1988), are updated by Encyclopedias, Atlases & Dictionaries (EAD), a buying guide for the home and library. Most of the contributors are professional librarians with extensive reviewing experience.
EAD has four major sections: an introduction; reviews of encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries; electronic versions of these works (CD-ROM, floppy disk, and online); and large-print reference works. The introductory article on choosing reference books tells what to consider for both home and library purchase. Useful comparative charts for each category will help the reader choose titles for further consideration based on such factors as price, contributors, and illustrations. EAD's users will not, however, find a recommendation that one title is "the best," since consumers differ in their needs.
Each section begins with a detailed article, "What to look for in . . .," which describes the characteristics of the type of reference work under consideration. All reviews, including those for derived works, contain facts at a glance; a discussion of format, authority, scope, and special features; and a summary. The majority also discuss currency, accuracy, clarity, objectivity, and accessibility. In addition, legibility is considered for maps; comprehensiveness of entries and syllabication/pronunciation for dictionaries; and hardware, searching capabilities, downloading/printing, and documentation for electronic works. Useful glossaries explain terminology used in reviews, such as guide words, Boolean search, and large- versus small-scale maps.
Reviews for the 200 reference works are divided by audience within each section, usually with one group for children's and one for secondary/adult titles. Single-volume encyclopedias such as The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia are unfortunately grouped in the same category as multivolume sets, and visual dictionaries are with assorted other special dictionaries, making it slightly more difficult to compare similar material. The number of pages per review ranges from 1 1/2 (children's atlases and dictionaries) to 4 (print encyclopedias). Reviews of derived works are generally shorter but do not contain see also references to the review of the parent work, nor do entries for the full work always note all related or derived titles. For instance, the review of The Oxford English Dictionary neglects to mention the CD-ROM version but does note The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary and The Compact Oxford English Dictionary in its summary. Because of the time required to produce a book like this, the 1993 or 1994 editions of annual encyclopedias are reviewed. This also means that new electronic products, such as Britannica Online, Encyclopedia Americana on CD-ROM, and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, on CD-ROM are not reviewed.
The detail with which each reference title is described allows consumers to become well informed about each work without actually seeing it. Illustrations are analyzed for their contribution to meaning in children's dictionaries; definitions are investigated for their treatment of slang, synonyms, usage, and regional variants; electronic works are evaluated on ease of use and number of access points. Facsimile pages from encyclopedias and dictionaries show how features appear in each work. It would be interesting to see sample screens from electronic works, but these are not included. Users will find the well-written summaries, which often compare the merits of the work in question with those of similar titles, very convenient. EAD will be a useful addition to public and academic libraries as both a collection-development tool and a consumer buying guide.
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- PublisherLibraries Unlimited
- Publication date1995
- ISBN 10 0835236692
- ISBN 13 9780835236690
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages495
- EditorSader Marion, Lewis Amy
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