Thursday, January 25, 2007

Statesman’s Yearbook

Type of source -
Yearbook

Bibliographic information-
Statesman’s Yearbook 2007
Edited by Barry Turner
Palgrave
2006

Subject(s) coverage/scope-
The book covers the political, economic, and social affairs of the countries of the world.

Access methods provided-

Table of contents, current leaders index, place and international organization index

Arrangement of access methods-
Main headings, subheadings

Genreflecting

Type of Source-
Literature Guide/ Bibliography

Bibliographic Information-
Genreflecting: a Guide to Popular Reading Interests by Diana Tixier Herald , sixth edition, Westport, CN: Libraries Unlimited, 2006.

Subject coverage-
Genreflecting is a guide to genre fiction. Each chapter begins with a short essay on the subject, then moves into suggestions for reading in each of the themes. For example, the chapter on Historical Fiction has themes such as “Selected Classics,” Prehistoric,” “Exotic Locales,” and “Epics.” The new edition is much more attractive and in paperback form.

List of Access Methods-
Table of Contents, Author/Title Index, and Subject Index

Arrangement of Access Methods-
Table of Contents is organized by Chapter Title, with each of the themes listed and page number beside it. Author/Title index is inter-mixed, not separated with page number listed beside it.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

Type of source-
Dictionary

Bibliographic information-
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary; Eleventh Edition; Merriam-Webster, Incorporated; Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A.; Copyright 2003 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Subject(s) coverage/scope-
Dictionaries cover every interest. One may turn to the dictionary for the last word not only for definitions and spelling, but for pronunciation, meaning, syllabication (word division), and other points.

List of all access methods provided-
Table of contents, explanatory chart, explanatory notes, guide to pronunciation, abbreviations in this work, pronunciation symbols, foreign words and phrases, biographical names, geographical names, signs and symbols, a handbook of style, capitals and italics, documentation of sources, forms of address, index

Arrangement of access methods-
Main headings, subheadings, cross references

Monday, January 22, 2007

Slavery Throughout History Almanac

Type of source-
Almanac

Bibliographic information-
Slavery Throughout History Almanac, by Theodore L. Sylvester, edited by Sonia Benson, U.X.L An Imprint of the Gale Group, Detroit, San Francisco, London, Boston, Woodbridge, CT, 2000

Subject coverage/scope-
Information on slavery from the ancient world to the twentieth century, throughout the world, including history, politics, and the details of daily life.

Access methods-
Table of contents, index, bibliography, and other interesting features including human rights resources, glossary, timeline, pictures, sidebars, maps.

Arrangement of access methods-
Main headings (time and place), subheadings

Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers

Type of source-
Literature guide

Bibliographic information-
Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers; Rebecca L. Thomas and Catherine Barr; Libraries Unlimited, 2005, Westport, CT

Subject coverage/scope-
This title provides easy reference for all genres of Y and YA fiction series including graphic novels/manga.

Access methods-
Access methods include an alphabetical listing of series by title, an author index, a title index, and a subject/genre index.

Arrangement of access methods-
Each entry includes the series title/author/publisher, grade level, AR availability, annotation, and a listing of series titles including publication dates. Some items are cross-referenced where the series may be recognized by more than one title.

Modern Black Writers

Type of source-
Subject encyclopedia/Handbook
(classification lines blur; this volume fits either category in its provision of quick access to a detailed orientation for a particular subject)

Bibliographic Information-
Modern Black Writers, 2nd edition
editorial team; Project Coordinator: Joann Cerrito
St. James Press (imprint of The Gale Group)
Farmington Hills, MI
Publication date: 2000
Call # R810.9896073 M689

Subject coverage/scope-
Critical analysis and commentary on black writers of late 20th century
Updated (late 20th century) analysis of earlier 20th century writers

Access methods-
List of entrants by Name (alphabetical)
List of entrants by Country (alphabetical)
Page headings
Index of Excerpted Critics
Index of Publications (in Acknowledgments)

Arrangement of Access Methods-
entry headings
page headings
critic index, with page reference

Advantages-
Broad scope - United States writers less than 1/3 of total entrants
considerable coverage of writers from African and Caribbean countries
Depth - substantial length of excerpted critical analyses
Innovative - includes writers representing sub-genres, e.g. speculative & detective fiction

Deficiencies-
no chronological mapping of entrants
lack of biographical data
focus on classic writers, little coverage outside academic literature canon

Teen Genreflecting

Type of source-
Bibliography/Literature Guide

Bibliographic information-
Teen Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests
Second Edition
Ed. Diana Tixier Herald
Publisher: Libraries Unlimited Inc. (part of Greenwood Publishing Group)
Wesport, CT
2003

Subject Coverage/scope-
Teen (YA) fiction, divided into genres such as mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, etc…

Arrangement of access methods-
Main Headings – Genres
Subheadings – Subgenres
No cross references

Each chapter basically consists of a list of titles. After each title, the editor lists the publication year, a short summary, any awards that the title received, and in some cases, a symbol such as [adult] (for adult titles that will appeal to teens) and [film] (for books that have been made into movies). At the end of each chapter there is a short list of references, generally other books on that genre.

There is also an appendix with addition lists of titles – such as a list of epic fantasy series that might appeal to teens