Research and Reference Resources

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NEW! Business Plans Handbook, vol. 15.
Volume 15 of the Business Plans Handbook offers over 30 actual business plans for examination by persons interested in starting a new business. The online version also includes a downloadable template for a business plan. Compliments the library's subscription to Business Plans Handbook in print, vol. 6-14, housed in the Central Library's reference collection.

Encyclopedia of Education.
Guthrie, James W., Ed. 2nd ed. Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 8 volumes.
Intended to provide a comprehensive description of the enterprise of education both within the United States and throughout the world. Approximately 900 articles offer a view of the institutions, people, processes, and products found in educational practice.

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia.
Hutchins, Michael, Dennis A. Thoney. and Melissa C. McDade, Eds. 2nd ed. Gale, 2004. 16 volumes.
A completely revised and updated version of the original work published in Germany in 1960, this edition incorporates recent developments in the animal world as noted by prominent advisors and contributors from the scientific community.

Dictionary of American History.
Kutler, Stanley I., Ed. 3rd ed. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 10 volumes.
The first comprehensive revision of this classic reference source, originally published in 1940, features updated and revised entries from previous editions, as well as more than 800 new entries covering recent events and topics not covered previously. This authoritative work serves students, scholars, and general readers interested in a wide range of topics in American history, from the well studied and familiar to the obscure.

Encyclopedia of Food and Culture.
Katz, Solomon H., Ed. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003.
Presents 600 articles on food and its place in human culture and society, covering everything from agronomy to zucchini. Students, academics, and general researchers will find entries on everything from food preparation, distribution and storage to holidays and festivals, nutrition and health, and cultures and cuisines. Entries range from 250 to 10,000 words each and are supplemented by 400 photographs and illustrations, sidebars, recipes, menus, timelines, and a comprehensive index.

Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law
Phelps, Shirelle, Ed. Gale, 2003. 2 volumes.
Fills a much-needed gap between legal texts focusing on the theory and history behind the law and more practical guides dealing with the law and its everyday effect upon its citizens. Articles include brief descriptions of each issue's historical background, profiles of various U.S. laws and regulations, details of how laws and regulations vary from state to state, and comprehensive bibliographies that include print and Web resources and lists of relevant organizations.

Reference Guide to World Literature.
Pendergast, Sara, and Tom Pendergast, 3rd ed. St. James Press, 2003. 2 volumes.
Contains biographical and critical essays on authors from throughout the world, as well as essays covering specific work or works of an author, with criticism and analysis of those works.

Encyclopedia of Science and Religion.
van Huyssteen, J. Wentzel Vrede, Ed. Macmillan Reference USA, 2003. 2 volumes.
Addresses the interactions, contradictions, and tensions between science and religion, both historically and in contemporary life. The set examines technologies like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and continuing developments in neurophysiology against the backdrop of deeply-held religious beliefs. In addition, phenomena such as the Church of Scientology are also studied, along with more traditional issues, such as the origins of life, the nature of sin, and the philosophy of science and religion.

Space Sciences.
Dasch, Pat, Ed. Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.
From the history of space exploration to the future of "space business," this set offers a broad survey of the space sciences. Includes biographies of scientists and the space-related job market.

Encyclopedia of Aging.
Ekerdt, David J., Ed. Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.
Written by experts for a general audience, articles cover topics such as biology, medicine, economics, law, psychology, sociology, and history as they relate to aging. Illustrated with photos, graphs, and line drawings.

Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice.
Dressler, Joshua, Ed. 2nd ed. Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.
This uniquely interdisciplinary resource covers legal, sociological, psychological, historical, and economic aspects of crime and justice worldwide. Entries cover civil and criminal issues, from domestic violence to terrorism. Entries cite pertinent legal cases as well as publications for further information. Also includes a glossary of related terms.