Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Below are high quality, scholarly, online reference works including many subject encyclopedias.

General

American National Biography
Online version of the multi-volume set that provides scholarly biographies of important people in all walks of American life.

Biography Resource Center
Information on people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. Includes content from dozens of published reference works and hundreds of periodicals.

Blackwell Reference Online
Contains the complete texts of almost 300 encyclopedies, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing, including the Blackwell Companions.

Encyclopaedia Britannica
Online version of the famous encyclopedia.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
A collection of specialized reference works.

New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Online version of the six-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2004). Interdisciplinary discussion of concepts in culture, theory, and thought.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Online version of the 60-volume reference set that provides scholarly biographies important people in British history.

Oxford English Dictionary
Current, online version of the famous dictionary.

Oxford Reference Online
Contains the complete texts of over 100 Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Reference Universe
Search across the indexes of many reference works with this unique tool. Earlham does not have all of the works indexed; the little book icon next to the title indicates we have it.

Fine Arts

Art

Oxford Art Online
Contains the 34-volume reference set, The Grove Dictionary of Art, the Oxford Companion to Western Art, and more.

Oxford Reference – Art and Architecture
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Blackwell Reference Online – Art
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Music

Oxford Music Online
Contains the full text of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd edition, 2001), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (1992), and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, (2nd edition, 2002).

Oxford Reference – Performing Arts
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Theatre

Oxford Reference – Performing Arts
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion
Online version of the three-volume set from Scribner/Thomson (2005).

Fashion, Costume, and Culture
Online version of the five-volume set from U*X*L (2004).

Humanities

Literature

Blackwell Reference Online – Linguistics
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Blackwell Reference Online – Literature
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Literature Resource Center
Includes biographical and critical information from Gale literature reference works, including the Dictionary of Literary Biography set.

Oxford English Dictionary
Current, online version of the famous dictionary.

Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2006).

Oxford Reference Online – Literature
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Oxford Reference Online – Mythology & Folklore
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Philosophy

Blackwell Reference Online – Philosophy
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Encyclopedia of Bioethics
Online version of the five-volume, 3rd edition from Macmillan (2004).

Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Online version of the 10-volume, 2nd edition from Macmillan (2006).

New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Online version of the six-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2004). Interdisciplinary discussion of concepts in culture, theory, and thought.

Oxford Reference Online – Religion & Philosophy
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Religion

Blackwell Reference Online – Religion
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Includes The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, The Oxford History of Islam, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, two classic interpretations of the Qur'an, a Concordance of the Qur'an, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, and the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World.

Encyclopaedia Judaica
Online version of the 22-volume, 2nd edition set from Macmillan (2007).

Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World
Online version of the two-volume set from Macmillan (2004).

Encyclopedia of Religion
Online version of the 15-volume, 2nd edition from Macmillan (2005).

Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (1996).

Oxford Reference Online – Religion & Philosophy
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Natural Sciences

General

Oxford Reference Online – Science
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Biology

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia
Online version of the 17-volume set from Gale (2004).

Oxford Reference Online – Biological Sciences
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Oxford Reference Online – Medicine
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Oxford Reference Online – Natural History
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Computer Science

Oxford Reference Online – Computing
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Geology

Oxford Reference Online – Earth & Environmental Sciences
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Social Sciences

African and African American Studies

Blackwell Reference Online – Race and Ethnicity Studies
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History
Online version of the six-volume, 2nd edition set from Macmillan (2006).

New Encyclopedia of Africa
Online version of the five-volume, 2nd edition set from Charles Scribner's (2008).

Oxford African American Studies Center
Over 7500 articles from a variety of Oxford University press books (e.g. Africana, African American National Biography), over 200 primary source documents, maps, timelines, links, and more.

Business and Non-Profit Management

Blackwell Reference Online – Business and Management
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Blackwell Reference Online – Economics
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2003).

Oxford Reference Online - Economics & Business
Contains the complete texts of  Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys
Provides in-depth economic and business information on 52 major US industries through reports that are available for searching by company name or industry.

The Statesman's Yearbook
Online version of the famous yearbook that provides an overview of political, economic, and demographic information on world countries.

Economics

Blackwell Reference Online – Business and Management
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Blackwell Reference Online – Economics
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2003).

Oxford Reference Online - Economics & Business
Contains the complete texts of  Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys
Provides in-depth economic and business information on 52 major US industries through reports that are available for searching by company name or industry.

The Statesman's Yearbook
Online version of the famous yearbook that provides an overview of political, economic, and demographic information on world countries.

Education

Encyclopedia of Education
Online version of the eight-volume, 2nd edition from Macmillan (2002).

History - United States

American Decades
Online version of the 10-volume reference set from Gale (2001). Provides sociocultural contexts of a given decade, 1900-1990s.

American National Biography
Online version of the multi-volume set that provides scholarly biographies of important people in all walks of American life.

Biography Resource Center
Information on people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. Includes content from dozens of published reference works and hundreds of periodicals.

Blackwell Reference Online – History
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Daily Life Online
Online version of over four dozen print volumes that explore different cultures and everyday life around the world, past and present, including the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life.

Dictionary of American History
Online version of the 10-volume, 3rd edition set from Charles Scribner's (2003).

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History
Online version of the six-volume, 2nd edition set from Macmillan (2006).

Encyclopedia of the American Revolution
Online version of the two-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2006).

Oxford African American Studies Center
Over 7500 articles from a variety of Oxford University press books (e.g. Africana, African American National Biography), over 200 primary source documents, maps, timelines, links, and more.

Oxford Reference Online – History
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Working Americans
Online version of the Gale/Grey House multivolume set.

History - World

Biography Resource Center
Information on people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. Includes content from dozens of published reference works and hundreds of periodicals.

Blackwell Reference Online – History
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Daily Life Online
Online version of over four dozen print volumes that explore different cultures and everyday life around the world, past and present, including the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life.

Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion
Online version of the three-volume set from Scribner/Thomson (2005).

Encyclopedia of European Social History
Online version of the six-volume set from Scribner (2001).

Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2002).

Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2001).

Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450
Online version of the three-volume set from Macmillan (2007).

Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World
Online version of the six-volume set from Scribner's (2004).

Fashion, Costume, and Culture
Online version of the five-volume set from U*X*L (2004).

New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Online version of the six-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2004). Interdisciplinary discussion of concepts in culture, theory, and thought.

Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (2003).

Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation
Online version of the Oxford University Press title (1996).

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Online version of the 60-volume reference set that provides scholarly biographies important people in British history.

Oxford Reference Online – History
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles

International Studies

Daily Life Online
Online version of over four dozen print volumes that explore different cultures and everyday life around the world, past and present, including the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life.

Encyclopedia of India
Online version of the four-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2006).

Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World
Online version of the two-volume set from Macmillan (2004).

Encyclopedia of Modern Asia
Online version of the six-volume set from Charles Scribner's (2002).

Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa
Online version of the four-volume, 2nd edition from Macmillan (2004).

New Encyclopedia of Africa
Online version of the five-volume, 2nd edition set from Charles Scribner's (2008).

The Statesman's Yearbook
Online version of the famous yearbook that provides an overview of political, economic, and demographic information on world countries.

Politics

Blackwell Reference Online – Politics
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

CQ Almanac
Coverage of the people, elections, legislation, and controversies in the US Congress from 1945-2006, with in-depth review and analysis of legislation and policy for each year, organized by policy area and comprehensive roll call votes for all major legislation.

Oxford Reference Online – Law
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

Oxford Reference Online – Politics
Contains the complete texts of Oxford University Press dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference titles.

The Statesman's Yearbook
Online version of the famous yearbook that provides an overview of political, economic, and demographic information on world countries.

Psychology

Blackwell Reference Online – Psychology
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Encyclopedia of Social Psychology
Online version of the two-volume set from Sage (2007).

International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family
Online version of the four-volume set from Macmillan (2002).

Sociology and Anthropology

Blackwell Reference Online – Anthropology
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Blackwell Reference Online – Sociology
Contains the complete texts of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference works from Blackwell Publishing.

Encyclopedia of Sociology
Online version of the five-volume, 2nd edition from Macmillan (2000).

International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family
Online version of the four-volume set from Macmillan (2002).

Oxford African American Studies Center
Over 7500 articles from a variety of Oxford University press books (e.g. Africana, African American National Biography), over 200 primary source documents, maps, timelines, links, and more.

Daily Life Online
Online version of over four dozen print volumes that explore different cultures and everyday life around the world, past and present, including the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life.

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History
Online version of the six-volume, 2nd edition set from Macmillan (2006).

Fashion, Costume, and Culture
Online version of the five-volume set from U*X*L (2004).

Working Americans
Online version of the Gale/Grey House multivolume set.