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Reference Sources for IS Research

Tools and Reference Sources for IS Research

Biographies | Dictionaries | Directories | Encyclopedias & Handbooks | Statistics

Biographies

Biographies of librarians, information scientists, archivists and others in IS and related fields.

  • Little Known Black Librarian Facts, 4th ed. (2013)
    Compiled by Michele T. Fenton and published by the Indiana Black Librarians Network.  Primarily biographical entries, arranged by occupation and state.  Includes citations to works about the profiled individuals.
  • Library of Congress Librarians
    Brief biographical portraits of all of the U.S. Librarians of Congress up to the present Librarian of Congress.
  • The Pioneers
    A series of article-length biographical portraits of major figures in IS history, from the online journal World Libraries.

Dictionaries

General

  • ALA & LIS Acronyms and Initialisms 
    Decodes acronyms of American Library Association units, divisions, roundtables, committees, and publications; acronyms of other related organizations; and abbreviations commonly used in library literature.
  • ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science
    [Licensed for UofI]  Defines terms and acronyms used by librarians and related information professionals.  Includes cross-references and avoids generic terminology. The print version (Michael Levine-Clark and Toni M. Carter, ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science, 4th ed., 2013) is available in SSHEL’s Reference collection, call number 020.3 Al112 2013.
  • Dictionary of Information and Library Management
    [Licensed for UofI]  Included in Credo Reference.  “A basic vocabulary of terms used in the information and records management industries.”  The print version (Janet Stevenson, Dictionary of Information and Library Management, 2nd ed., 2006) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 D561 2006.
  • Dictionary of Information Science and Technology 
    The 2nd edition of the Dictionary of Information Science and Technology is a compilation of more than 12,000 of the latest terms and definitions as they pertain to all aspects of the information and technology fields.
  • Historical Dictionary of Librarianship
    [Licensed for UofI]
      Includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations along with a chronology of significant events.  The print version (Mary Ellen Quinn, Historical Dictionary of Librarianship, 2014) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 Q447h.
  • ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science
    Defines words and acronyms in the various specializations within IS, along with the relevant vocabulary of publishing, printing, the book trade, graphic arts, book history, literature, bibliography, telecommunications, and computer science. Reflects North American practice. The print equivalent (Joan M. Reitz, Dictionary for Library and Information Science, 2004) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 R278d.

Specialized

Directories

Directories of libraries, publishers and information science professionals.

  • American Library Directory
    Detailed profiles of more than 35,000 public, academic, special and government libraries, and library-related organizations in the United States, and Canada.
  • American Public Library Handbook
    This handbook combines entries for key terms in IS with a directory of public libraries in the U.S.
  • Libraries Canada 
    This reference provides an overview of all libraries in Canada, organized by type. It includes current details and data for each institution in the language used by that institution. Indexes about archive and governmental libraries, subject, location, and personnel are also included.
  • Library Publishing Directory
    This directory, a publication of the Library Publishing Coalition, provides a list of academic and research libraries engaged in publishing activities, and is freely available as a pdf or epub. For each institution, it includes information such as the type of publishing activities involved, staffing, publishing platforms, digital preservation strategies, and other details.
  • Publishers Directory
    This directory provides information on over 20,000 publishers and distributors in A-Z arrangement. Users can view alternate formats offered by publishers, including audio, Braille, video and more.
  • Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers
    This directory provides coverage of more than 37,500 special libraries and information centers around the world. Contains collections maintained by various government agencies, businesses, publishers, educational and non-profit organizations.

Encyclopedias & Handbooks

Encyclopedias and handbooks covering various IS topics.

General

Specialized

Statistics

Consult these sources for numerical data.