For immediate release | January 9, 2017
RUSA’s Emerging Technologies Section selects 18th annual list of Best Free Reference Websites
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CHICAGO—The 18th Annual Best Free Reference Websites list, previously published in the Fall 2016 issue of , is now also available on . This year’s list features twenty-two websites with annotations composed by members of . The selection criteria and process are detailed in the list’s preface.
American FactFinder
Author/Publisher: United States Census Bureau
AnnualReports.com
Author/Publisher: AnnualReports.com, a division of IRSolutions.com
Art UK
Author/Publisher: Public Catalogue Foundation
Ballot Measures Database
Author/Publisher: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
Best Commencement Speeches, Ever
Author/Publisher: NPR
Cancer Statistics Center
Author/Publisher: American Cancer Society
CORE - COnnecting REpositories
Author/Publisher: Knowledge Media Institute
Digital Public Library of America
Author/Publisher: Digital Public Library of America
Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records
Author/Publisher: Find A Grave
Global Terrorism Database
Author/Publisher: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism
Goodreads
Author/Publisher: Goodreads, Inc.
Guide to North American Birds
Author/Publisher: National Audubon Society
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Author/Publisher: James Fieser (Editor), University of Tennessee at Martin & Bradley Dowden (Editor), California State University, Sacramento.
JournalTOCs
Author/Publisher: School of Mathematical and Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
National Parks Service
Author/Publisher: National Parks Service, US Dept. of the Interior
National Transportation Statistics
Author/Publisher: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
NYPL Digital Collections
Author/Publisher: New York Public Library
Reference.com - A Free Online Encyclopedia & Information Reference
Author/Publisher: Dictionary.com, LLC.
Statistical Abstracts of the United States
Author/Publisher: U.S. Census Bureau
Date reviewed: March 3, 2016
USDA Local Food Directory Listings
Author/Publisher: United States Department of Agriculture
U.S. Small Business Administration
Author/Publisher: U.S. Small Business Administration
W3Schools
Author/Publisher: W3Schools - Refsnes Data
The complete list including annotations and review dates can be viewed on . The has been updated to include the sites selected in the 18th annual list. The list made its first debut in the Fall 2014 issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly (RUSQ), RUSA’s research journal. Each site is selected based on, but not limited to quality, depth, usability, usefulness of content and authority of producer. Succinct and insightful annotations were written by the selection committee and reflect all subject areas useful for ready reference and value in most libraries.
The Best Free Reference Websites selection committee consists of Autumn Lorraine Mather (Co-Chair), Ryerson & Burnham Libraries; Paul E. Victor, Jr. (Co-Chair), Eastern Washington University Library; Christine M. Barnes, Nagoya University of Commerce and Business; Shannon D. Jones, Medical University of South Carolina; Yaniv Masjedi, Nextiva; Emily Reed, Central Penn College; Sheena Sewell, Broward County Libraries Division; Jeremy Walker, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.
The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the 91´«Ã½, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about RUSA’s Book and Media Awards at rusa.ala.org/update/awards/.
Contact:
Leighann Wood
Sr. Program Officer
Leighann Wood
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
lwood@ala.orgFeatured News