new york library best of references

Best of Reference is an annual list of books, websites, and electronic resources selected by a committee of librarians for their usefulness in local branch reference collections. Selection criteria include value and appropriateness for branch collections, organization of material, style of presentation, and authority of authors and editors.

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Hard Times
Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease
Elaine A. Moore, with Lisa Moore. McFarland and Company, 2002. $55.
616.831 E
With hundreds of names and terms, this comprehensive guide provides detailed information on home care providers and assisted living, adult day care, and long-term treatment facilities; government, clinical, and university treatment and research centers; books, journals, support groups, organizations, and Internet sites.

Encyclopedia of Terrorism
Harvey W. Kushner. Sage Publications, 2002. $125.
303.625 E
Comprehensive and accessible, this timely source provides detailed discussions of the who, what, where, when, and why of terrorism, and covers, in 300 articles, such topics as Al-Qaeda, biological terrorism, and suicide bombers.

Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco: Learning About Addictive Behavior
Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, editor. 3 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. $275.
613.8 D
Written for students in middle school and above, this set addresses the nature of, treatments for, and social issues surrounding addictive substances and behaviors, emphasizing topics of interest to young adults and those who live or work with them.

Rebels and Renegades: A Chronology of Social and Political Dissent in the U.S.
Neil A Hamilton. Routledge, 2002. $95.
303.484 H
American history told in terms of momentous struggles. This reference chronicles acts of rebellion from 1620 to 1997, from the Quakers to the SCUM Manifesto, focusing on the personalities involved in the movements.

Facts About American Immigration
David M. Brownstone and Irene M. Franck. The H. W. Wilson Company, 2001. $100.
304.873 B
Essays and statistics on immigration to America, providing exhaustive coverage in three parts: a historical overview, a chronology, and an A to Z section of immigrant groups by nationality.

Timeless Pleasure
Literary History
www.literaryhistory.com
Begun in 1998, this index to free Internet articles on English and American literature is convenient and useful for students, scholars, writers, teachers, reading groups, and general readers. All links lead directly to articles meeting academic standards.

Dogs: The Ultimate Dictionary of Over 1,000 Breeds
Desmond Morris. Trafalgar Square, 2002. $24.95.
636.71 M
Physical, behavioral, and historical characteristics of over 1,000 breeds - working dogs, pet, feral, and extinct - are included in this entertaining, meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated compendium.


Supernatural Fiction Writers: Contemporary Fantasy and Horror
Richard Bleiler, editor. 2 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. $240.
809.387 S.
Meaty articles including biographical sketches, descriptions of their work, and bibliographies of fantasy and horror authors both best-selling and obscure.

The Foodlover's Atlas of the World
Martha Rose Shulman. Firefly Books, 2002. $35.
641.3 S
Explore the world through its colorful markets and kitchens. Culinary history, traditional ingredients, mealtime customs, signature dishes, festive food, recipes, and sample menus round out your trip.


The Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage: A Reader's Companion to the Writers and Their Works, from Antiquity to the Present (Revised Edition)
Claude J. Summers, editor. Routledge, 2002. $65.
809.892 G
A dictionary guide to the gay and lesbian literati, both past and current, with helpful bibliographies and detailed entries on various literary movements.

Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection/Picture Collection Online
The New York Public Library, Branch Libraries
picturecollection.nypl.org
Nearly a million images from NYPL's circulating and reference collections plus 30,000 reference images about to become available on the web.

Time Moves On
The Scout Report and Archives
scout.wisc.edu
One of the Internet's longest-running publications, offering a selection of new and newly discovered high-quality online material. The Archives is a searchable and browseable collection of over seven years' worth of critical annotations of carefully selected Internet sites, mailing lists, and other online resources.

Librarians' Index to the Internet
lii.org
A searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 11,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users of public libraries.

Best of History Web Sites
www.besthistorysites.net
This elegant site provides links to historical sites, many run by universities and government organizations, ranging in scope from pre-history to the present. The 800 plus history-related websites have been reviewed for quality, accuracy, and usefulness. Neatly organized and a rich store of visual historical information.


Statistical Resources on the Web
www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html
From the University of Michigan Documents Center, a rich collection of links to sites and documents presenting statistics, indexed by broad and narrow subjects ranging from accidents to wealth.


Online Newspapers
onlinenewspapers.com & newslink.org.
Two excellent directories of online news, newspapers, journals, and magazines for those tired of the usual sources.


Time Ignored
Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law
Shirelle Phelps, editor. 2 vols. Gale Group, 2002. $250.
349.73 G
Practical information on laws and issues affecting people's everyday lives. Many entries end with additional resources and organizations to further your search for answers.


New Historical Atlas of Religion in America
Edwin Scott Gaustad and Philip L. Barlow, editors. Oxford University Press, 2001. $145.
200.973 N
A comprehensive visual and narrative portrait of the growth, development, and diversity of America's communities of faith for the past 400 years.

FindLaw
findlaw.com
FindLaw is the highest-trafficked legal website, providing the most comprehensive set of legal resources on the Internet for law professionals, businesses, students, and individuals. Resources include web search utilities, cases and codes, legal news, and an online career center.


The New Encyclopedia of Judaism
Jeffrey A. Wigoder, editor. New York University Press, 2002. $79.95.
296.03 N
This updated version of the 1989 Encyclopedia of Judaism includes 1,200 updated and 250 new articles, with profuse illustrations. All aspects of Jewish culture, history, and religion are presented with consideration for Orthodox, Conservative and Reform ideologies.

New York Central Time
New York Year by Year: A Chronology of the Great Metropolis
Jeffrey A. Kroessler. New York University Press, 2002. $60/$19.95.
974.71 K
From the 16th century to the 21st, the bizarre, banal, and stupendous events that shaped the greatest city in the world are listed here. Thought-provoking and entertaining, this nicely illustrated biography of the Big Apple will please natives and visitors alike.

Harlem Renaissance: A Gale Critical Companion
Janet Witalec, editor. 3 vols. Gale Group, 2002. $295.
810.989 H
Valuable primary-source documents enhance your research of the Harlem Renaissance. More than just literary criticism, these volumes frame the period by providing social and historical information.

Housing NYC
housingnyc.com
A user-friendly website of the New York City Rent Guidelines Board, this site includes tenant and landlord rights, housing research, rent guidelines, how to find an apartment, e-mail Q & A, and more.

Forgotten New York
forgotten-ny.com
Your gateway to a New York City that existed long ago: lampposts, advertisements, bridges, buildings, signs, things passed every day that bear silent witness to the City that once was, as well as forgotten and overlooked aspects of the present day.

Members of the Committee: Jay Barksdale, chair, Donnell Library Center; David Hoffman, Mid-Manhattan Library; Tara Kay Johnson, Bronx Borough Office; Lawrence Kapture, Jefferson Market Regional Library; Bernard Van Maarseveen, Mid-Manhattan Library; Michael Watkins, Riverside Branch Library.

With special thanks to: Jane Fisher, Coordinator, Office of Information Services; Hong Yao, Office of Information Services; Michael Diekmann, Donnell Media Center, and Todd Gwinn, Mid-Manhattan Library, Picture Collection Online.