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Notes & Quotes
News from the Central Reference Desk
by Mary Beth Parkinson, AV Cataloger/Reference and Merry Rosenberger, Reference Librarian
CENTRAL CAMPUS FACULTY, Please Note!
If you would like to bring your class to the Central Library for library instruction, please contact Merry Rosenberger, Reference Librarian (X6599), for day classes and Robert Erb, Evening Reference Librarian (X6622) for evening classes.
We will need at least two weeks’ notice to prepare materials. Please plan to attend the instruction session with your class. Your presence is required. Also, please forward a copy of your syllabi or assignments requiring library research to Merry Rosenberger, LRC, College Hall.
We are constantly evaluating and selecting new electronic databases. To see what we currently have, go to our Full-text Databases and Indexes page within the Library web page at http://www.mc3.edu/sa/lib/lib_dbs.html
This is a time of rapid technological change in information resources. Come learn with us!
The following are recent additions to our Reference Collection:
International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, Second Ed., published by The Gale Group, is comprised of four volumes containing nearly 400 alphabetical entries which survey the patterns and great variation in marriage and family life in the world today. As in the first edition (Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, 1995, 2 volumes) this work presents knowledge about marriage, families, and human relationships. This new, expanded edition, however, differs greatly from the first edition as it presents a global perspective. The contributors to this encyclopedia are family scholars from the United States as well as Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific with expertise on the topic or country about which they are writing. All articles are signed and include a cross reference as well as a bibliography with cited works and suggestions for further reading. A comprehensive index of concepts, names, and terms is contained in Volume 4.
World at Risk: A Global Issues Sourcebook published by CQ Researcher (a division of Congressional Quarterly, Inc.) includes 30 chapters, each covering one of 30 key issues facing our world today, especially in the broad areas of economics, the environment, human development, law, politics, and security. Some of the topics covered include AIDS, arms control, biodiversity, global warming, terrorism, income inequality, health, women, and world trade. Each of the 30 topics is presented from a cross-disciplinary perspective and contains several sections, including a summary describing the significance of the issue to the world; a current status section describing the state of research on the topic, and policies and programs undertaken in response to the issue; a regional summary describing how the issue affects different areas of the world; a data section with tabulated information; a case study section; a biographical section with short biographies of researchers, policy makers, and political leaders and activists. This useful sourcebook also contains a detailed index.
The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, published by The Gale Group is a two-volume comprehensive medical encyclopedia containing 400 alphabetically arranged articles. Written by medical writers, genetic counselors, physicians, and other health care professionals, the articles profile many genetic diseases, disorders, and conditions, offering information regarding available treatments and diagnostic tests. The articles are written in language understandable to lay persons and include a definition of the particular disorder, description, genetic profile, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and management, prognosis, resources for additional sources of medical information, and key terms and definitions. The articles are cross referenced, and the encyclopedia includes a comprehensive general index and more than 200 full color illustrations including photos and pedigree charts.
Encyclopedia of Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, is a three volume work containing 365 articles on evolutionary biology. To meet the diverse needs of students and researchers, the encyclopedia features both overview and technical/topical articles. Some of the aspects of evolution covered include the fundamental concepts, definitions and theories of evolution, evolutionary and population genetics, molecular evolution, behavioral ecology and social evolution, human cultural and biological evolution, paleontology, mathematical modeling, and the evolutionary basis of disease. Volume I contains an alphabetical listing as well as a topical outline of articles. Each article is signed and contains cross references and a bibliography.
Thinkers of the Twentieth Century, Second Edition, published by St. James Press, is a biographical reference work, international in scope, on the great thinkers of the 20th century. Entries for each individual included in the work feature a biography; bibliography noting the person’s writings and publications; a listing of critical papers, studies, or symposiums on the individual; and a signed critical essay. While all articles are arranged alphabetically, the great thinkers included in this work are listed alphabetically in the front of the book for quick reference.
