Reference Sources for IS Research

Tools and Reference Sources for IS Research

Biographies | Dictionaries | Directories | Encyclopedias & Handbooks | Statistics

Biographies

Biographies of librarians, information scientists, archivists and others in IS and related fields.

• Little Known Black Librarian Facts, 4th ed. (2013)
  Compiled by Michele T. Fenton and published by the Indiana Black Librarians Network.  Primarily biographical entries, arranged by occupation and state.  Includes citations to works about the profiled individuals.
• Library of Congress Librarians
  Brief biographical portraits of all of the U.S. Librarians of Congress up to the present Librarian of Congress.
• The Pioneers
  A series of article-length biographical portraits of major figures in IS history, from the online journal World Libraries.

Dictionaries

General

• ALA & LIS Acronyms and Initialisms 
  Decodes acronyms of American Library Association units, divisions, roundtables, committees, and publications; acronyms of other related organizations; and abbreviations commonly used in library literature.
• ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science
  [Licensed for UofI]  Defines terms and acronyms used by librarians and related information professionals.  Includes cross-references and avoids generic terminology. The print version (Michael Levine-Clark and Toni M. Carter, ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science, 4th ed., 2013) is available in SSHEL’s Reference collection, call number 020.3 Al112 2013.
• Dictionary of Information and Library Management
  [Licensed for UofI]  Included in Credo Reference.  “A basic vocabulary of terms used in the information and records management industries.”  The print version (Janet Stevenson, Dictionary of Information and Library Management, 2nd ed., 2006) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 D561 2006.
• Dictionary of Information Science and Technology 
  The 2nd edition of the Dictionary of Information Science and Technology is a compilation of more than 12,000 of the latest terms and definitions as they pertain to all aspects of the information and technology fields.
• Historical Dictionary of Librarianship
  [Licensed for UofI]  Includes a list of acronyms and abbreviations along with a chronology of significant events.  The print version (Mary Ellen Quinn, Historical Dictionary of Librarianship, 2014) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 Q447h.
• ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science
  Defines words and acronyms in the various specializations within IS, along with the relevant vocabulary of publishing, printing, the book trade, graphic arts, book history, literature, bibliography, telecommunications, and computer science. Reflects North American practice. The print equivalent (Joan M. Reitz, Dictionary for Library and Information Science, 2004) is available in the Main Stacks, call number 020.3 R278d.

Specialized

• Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology
  Defines words related to book bindings and the tools and techniques for creating and repairing them. The print equivalent (Matt T. Roberts and Don Etherington, 1982) is available in the Main Stacks Govt. Documents, call number DOC. LC1.2:B64/3.
• Dictionary of Archives Terminology
  Defines terms found in the archival literature, with an emphasis on electronic records. Includes acronyms and organizations. Provides citations to usage and notes relationships among terms. The print equivalent (Richard Pearce-Moses, 2005) is available in the University Archives, call number 027.0014 P315g.
• Dictionary of the Book: A Glossary for Book Collectors, Booksellers, Librarians, and Others
  This illustrated dictionary focuses on the physical book in all its aspects, including its history, care, use, types and components.  Appendices cover typeface terminology, paper sizes, binding terminology and book collectors’ clubs and societies.
• Glossary [of Digital Curation]
  Compiled by the Digital Curation Centre, UK.  Defines common terms used in discussions of digital curation and data preservation.
• NetLingo.com
  Defines internet-related words.
• Serials Acquisitions Glossary
  Defines terms and acronyms used in communication among librarians, publishers, and vendors, specifically at the University of Illinois.

Directories

Directories of libraries, publishers and information science professionals.

• American Library Directory
  Detailed profiles of more than 35,000 public, academic, special and government libraries, and library-related organizations in the United States, and Canada.
• American Public Library Handbook
  This handbook combines entries for key terms in IS with a directory of public libraries in the U.S.
• Libraries Canada 
  This reference provides an overview of all libraries in Canada, organized by type. It includes current details and data for each institution in the language used by that institution. Indexes about archive and governmental libraries, subject, location, and personnel are also included.
• Library Publishing Directory
  This directory, a publication of the Library Publishing Coalition, provides a list of academic and research libraries engaged in publishing activities, and is freely available as a pdf or epub. For each institution, it includes information such as the type of publishing activities involved, staffing, publishing platforms, digital preservation strategies, and other details.
• Publishers Directory
  This directory provides information on over 20,000 publishers and distributors in A-Z arrangement. Users can view alternate formats offered by publishers, including audio, Braille, video and more.
• Directory of Special Libraries and Information Centers
  This directory provides coverage of more than 37,500 special libraries and information centers around the world. Contains collections maintained by various government agencies, businesses, publishers, educational and non-profit organizations.

Encyclopedias & Handbooks

Encyclopedias and handbooks covering various IS topics.

General

• Computing Handbook:  Information Systems and Information Technology 3rd edition.
  Volume opens with “Disciplinary Foundations and Global Impact.”  It then covers data management, knowledge management, human-computer interaction and user experience.
• Encyclopedia of Archival Science
  Offers a comprehensive view to the area of archival science with a broad interpretation of the subject.  It contains 154 articles by 110 authors that provide both theoretical and practical perspectives.
• The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, 4th ed.
  Covers topics related to: archival science; bibliography; document and genre theory; informatics; information systems; knowledge management; the information sciences; museum studies; records management; social studies of information.
• Encyclopedia of Information Science & Technology 5th edition.
  Covers key current developments in information science, with substantially different articles in each edition and only some continuing essays, such as on Bioinformatics. You can also find the first edition, second edition, third edition, and fourth edition as ebooks.

Specialized

• Encyclopedia of Communities of Practice in Information and Knowledge Management
  The print equivalent (Elayne Coakes and Steve Clarke, eds., 2006) is available in the Main Stacks Q. 658.4038 E563.
• Encyclopedia of Database Technologies and Applications
  The print equivalent (Laura C. Rivero, Jorge H. Doorn, and Viviana E. Ferraggine, eds., 2006) is available from Oak Street QA76.9.D3 E624 2006.
• Encyclopedia of Digital Government
  The print equivalent (Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko and Matti Mälkiä, eds., 3 vols, 2007) is available from Oak Street JF1525.A8 E63 2007.
• Encyclopedia of Distance Learning 2nd edition.
  The 1st edition (Caroline Howard et al., eds., 4 vols, 2005) is available online and in print from Oak Street Q.371.3503 En19.
• Encyclopedia of E-Commerce, E-Government, and Mobile Commerce
  The print equivalent (Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, ed., 2 vols, 2006) is available in the Main Stacks HF5548.32 .E52 2006.
• Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology
  The print equivalent (Eileen Trauth, ed., 2 vols, 2006) is available for request from Oak Street Q.331.481004 En19.
• Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management 2nd edition.
  The 1st edition (David G. Schwartz, ed., 2006) is available online and in print in the Main Stacks Q.658.4038 E564.
• Encyclopedia of Virtual Communities and Technologies
  The print equivalent (Subhasish Dasgupta, ed., 2006) is available from Oak Street TK5105.83 .E52 2006.
• International Dictionary of Library Histories
  The print equivalent of this “dictionary” (more an encyclopedia) is available in the Main Stacks Q.027.009 In82.
• ISKO Encyclopedia of Knowledge Organization
  This open access encyclopedia includes entries on terms, people, systems and ideas relating to the discipline of knowledge organization.  It is organized by topic but also includes alphabetical and chronological indexes.
• The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Information
  An introduction to the emerging field of philosophy of information, this volume provides scholars across disciplines with a basic overview before focusing more in-depth on the quantitative and formal; natural and physical; and human and semantic aspects of philosophy of information.

Statistics

Consult these sources for numerical data.

• ALISE Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report
  From 1997 to 2004, an annual survey of IS schools, covering: faculty; students; curriculum; income and expenditures; continuing professional education.  Older and more recent years are available in print or through Proquest Statistical Insight (see below).
• American Library Association Office of Research and Statistics
  Includes links to statistical reports by ALA and others.
• America’s Star Libraries: The Library Journal Index of Public Library Service
  Library Journal’s national rating of public libraries.
• ARL Statistics (Public Access) and ARL Statistics and Salary Surveys [licensed for UofI]
  Data on the collections, expenditures, staffing, and service activities of the largest academic and research libraries in North America.
• Illinois Public Library Statistics
  Information on the Illinois Public Library Annual Report, with contact information for requesting statistical data and an input page for libraries to submit their data.
• Institute for Museum and Library Services.  Library Statistics: Public Libraries
  Annual surveys of public libraries in the U.S., providing data on the population of legal service areas, service outlets, library collections and services, staff, and operating revenue and expenditures.  Summary reports (PDF); downloadable data files with documentation; and tools to “search for public libraries” and “compare public libraries.”
• Institute for Museum and Library Services.  Library Statistics: State Libraries
  Annual surveys of state libraries in the U.S., providing data on governance, services, collections, staff, and operating revenues and expenditures.  Summary reports (PDF); downloadable data files with documentation.
• Library and Book Trade Almanac
  Includes statistics on book prices, numbers of books published, library expenditures, and average salaries of librarians during each year. A digitized version appears after a delay in ProQuest Statistical Insight.
• National Center for Education Statistics: Library Statistics Program
  Data from surveys of U.S. academic libraries and school library media centers.
• ProQuest Statistical Insight
  [licensed for UofI] A database of a wide variety of statistical reports, including the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the Public Library Data Service, ACRL Academic Library Trends and Statistics, ARL Statistics, and ALISE Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report.
• SLA Annual Salary Survey and Workplace Study
  [licensed for UofI] An annual collection of salary data focused on special library positions. Older content is available in print.
• State Public Library Statistics
  Links to public library statistics published on state library agency web sites.