Virtual Reference Shelf | Citation Guides | Dictionaries & Thesauri | Directories
Encyclopedias | Financial Calculators | Quotations | Translation Aids
Virtual Reference Shelf - sources containing multiple types of reference tools
Gale Virtual Reference Library (Gale)
An excellent collection of general and subject-specific reference sources that can be searched individually or in combination. Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
Grolier Online
Includes Encyclopedia Americana, American Heritage Dictionary, English-Spanish & Spanish-English dictionaries, Roget's Thesaurus and other resources. Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
Oxford Reference Online
An outstanding collection of reference resources that can be used individually or searched in combination. Includes general and subject-specific dictionaries, encyclopedias, quotations dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, maps and more. Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
Proquest Reference Database
A full-text collection of reference books including The Ethnic Cultures of America, Occupational Outlook Handbook, and the World Factbook. Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
Bartleby.com
Great source for free access to current reference sources! Older sources provided as well, so check the dates.
Information Please
Includes an online encyclopedia (Columbia House), dictionary, thesaurus, maps and several almanacs.
iTools
Provides links to a variety of research sources, including dictionaries, thesauri, translators, map services and financial information.
The Internet Public Library Reference Collection
Includes a large collection of links to reference sources on the Web.
World Digital Library
Presents "cultural treasures" from around the world, including manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, photographs, and architectural drawings. Developed by the Library of Congress and partner institutions throughout the world, with support from the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Citation
Guide for Citing Electronic Information
Provided by William Patterson University. They also have links to other citation information sources here.
Citing Electronic Resources
A collection of links to style guides for citing electronic resources, including APA, MLA and more. Maintained by the Internet Public Library.
Dictionaries & Thesauri
Information Please
Merriam-Webster Online (includes thesaurus)
Oxford English Dictionary
This is the online edition of the famous multi-volume print version, with definitions for over 500,000 words. Contains the contents of the current print version, plus updates as they are added that will appear in the new print version when it comes out. The publisher claims over 2.5 million quotations are included to show the usage of words, which is a particular strength of this dictionary. Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
Available only to current CUNY School of Law students and faculty.
ROGET'S Thesaurus (3rd ed. 1995 from Bartleby.com)
There is also a 1911 version released to the public domain, "supplemented" in 1991.
Wordsmyth English Dictionary-Thesaurus
Directories
Publist.com
This site claims to be a directory of information on "more than 150,000 publications." Free to use, but registration required.
United States Postal Service ZIP Code Lookup and Address Information
Encyclopedias
Britannica Online
This site includes the online version of Encyclopedia Britannica and much more.
Information Please
Includes an online encyclopedia (Columbia House), dictionary, maps and several almanacs.
Wikipedia
Written collaboratively by volunteers. Most articles can be edited by anyone. Useful for preliminary info and especially for pop-culture topics, but use with caution.
Financial Calculators
Currency Converter (OANDA)
Cost of Living Comparison Calculator
See how far your salary will go in various areas of the U.S. To compare cost of living in other countries, use the International Salary Calculator.
Salary Comparison Calculator
Choose from over 1,000 job descriptions and compare salaries paid in over 300 U.S. cities.
Quotations
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed., pub. 1919
Yale Book of Quotations: Quotations Websites
Access to the Yale Book of Quotations is not free, but the Web site provides this list of other quotations sites that are free.
Translation Aids
Babelfish Translator
Translate text (or a Web page) from English to German, Spanish, French, Italian or Portugese, and vice versa.
The Internet Dictionary Project
This project creates translating dictionaries in several languages for free use on the Internet.
Logos Multi-Lingual E-Translation Portal
Find translations of words in over 100 languages! Includes audio files for many words so you can also hear how they are pronounced.
