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Literary Reference Source

Literary Reference Source is a comprehensive full-text database that provides users with a broad spectrum of information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines and timeframes, specifically designed for public libraries, secondary schools, junior/community colleges, and undergraduate research. In addition to full text for more than 35,000 plot summaries, synopses, and work overviews; nearly 100,000 articles/essays of literary criticisms; more than 253,000 author biographies (including more than 22,000 in-depth bios); more than 460 literary journals; more than 693,000 book reviews; nearly 78,000 classic and contemporary poems; more than 19,600 classic and contemporary short stories; more than 6,500 author interviews; and more than 8,200 classic texts, Literary Reference Source includes Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of LiteratureContinuum Encyclopedia of American Literature,ContinuumEncyclopedia of Children’s LiteratureThe New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics,Beacham’s Research Guide to Biography and Criticism (six volumes), The Oxford Illustrated History of English LiteratureThe Columbia Companion to the 20th Century American Short Story, all of MagillOnLiterature Plus, and much more.

Availability: 
This resource is available to all library users via BadgerLink.

Contact

Have a question? Contact Madison Public Library's Reference Department by phone at 608-266-6300 or by email.