E-Reference Books
-Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. Jeffrey
Lehman, Ed. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 1974 pp. 3 vols.
Contains 8,000 to 12,000 word essays on specific culture groups in the United States,
emphasizing religions, holidays, customs, and languages in addition to providing information on
historical background and settlement patterns. Also covers ethno religious groups such as Jews,
Chaldeans, and Amish. Each essay lists organizations and research centers; name, address, and
contact information for periodicals, radio, and television stations; and a further readings section.
-Countries and Their Cultures. Melvin Ember and Carol R. Ember, Eds. New York: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2001. 2549 pp. 4 vols.
Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared
culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of
the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and
political information.
-Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. Solomon H. Katz, Ed. New York: Charles Scribner's
Sons, 2003. 2004 pp. 3 vols.
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.
-Social Change in America: The Historical Handbook, 2006. Patricia Becker, Ed. Lanham,
Maryland: Bernan Press, 2006. 307 pp.
The editors of Bernan Press have written insightful commentary about U.S. society and how it
has changed--not just in comparison to the past, but also within a global context. The narrative is
supported by population data from the 2000 Decennial Census and other recent surveys. Topics
covered in Social Change in America include family life; work and employment; housing; wealth
and poverty; education; health; crime; volunteer activity; religion and religious affiliation; politics;
the impact of the Internet on American society.
-Social Trends and Indicators USA. Arsen J. Darnay, Ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 1936 pp. 4 vols.
Provides detailed statistics on social issues paired with expert analyses of the statistics. Statistics
are gathered from respected sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of the
Census, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Social Security Administration; data is also
gathered from the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and stock exchanges. Additional
features include appendices presenting highly detailed historical data series and a cumulative
index.
-Diversity in Information Technology Education: Issues and Controversies. Goran
Trajkovski, Ed. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing, 2006. 319 pp.
Diversity in Information Technology Education: Issues and Controversies sheds light on the
status of diversity in the field of IT education. It identifies a wide range of problems that educators
face on a daily basis, and gives practical, applicable solutions, mainly by showcasing successful
and replicable examples. The chapters in Diversity in Information Technology Education: Issues
and Controversies present research and introspection on race, gender, national origin, disability
and other diversity categories. The examples, success stories from retention efforts, and
strategies in assessment that account for diversity, and all supplement the topics with practical
examples. If an instructor is planning on infusing diversity topics into the curriculum, this book
contains pertinent information on how to identify problems and face issues.
-Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia. John F.
McCoy, Ed. 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 704 pp.
Entries describe the physical geography of every nation and dependency on Earth. Physical
features, climate, and vegetation are discussed in detail using a consistent set of rubrics. Every
entry features a physical relief map designed to illuminate the text of the entry. A World Rankings
appendix includes dozens of tables ranking major features of the Earth, such as largest river by
length and volume, tallest mountains by continent, and deepest oceans. Includes a glossary of
geographical and geological terms.
-Encyclopedia of Small Business. Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier
Hillstrom, Eds. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 1212 pp. 2 vols.
Designed to provide entrepreneurs with how-to information that they can apply to their own
business. Contains 600 detailed articles and overviews of all the key information needs of small
business owners, including financing, financial planning, business plan creation, market analysis,
sales strategy, tax planning, and human resource issues.
-User-Centered Design of Online Learning Communities. Niki Lambropoulos and Panayiotis
Zaphiris, Eds. Hershey, PA: Information Science Publishing, 2007. 403 pp.
User-centered design (UCD) is gaining popularity in both the educational and business sectors.
This is due to the fact that UCD sheds light on the entire process of analyzing, planning,
designing, developing, using, evaluating, and maintaining computer-based learning. UserCentered Design of Online Learning Communities explains how computers can be used to
augment human intellect for productivity and innovation, both nationally and globally. This book
gives guidance to all stakeholders involved in online learning: organizations and businesses,
developers, tutors, students, and evaluators; as well as provides best practices for the different
phases of developing online learning communities from the analysis and design phase to the
development, use, evaluation, and maintenance stage.
-Encyclopedia of Education. James W. Guthrie, Ed. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Reference
USA, 2002. 3412 pp. 8 vols.
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.