Online Reference Shelf

Online Reference Shelf

The tools listed below include standard reference works such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and directories, as well as more specialized reference databases.

Key:

 Restricted use. Available only from networked Museum computers and off-site via the proxy server. Please see the off-site access instructions for more information. Also, please be aware of the usage restrictions that apply to licensed resources.

 Unrestricted use. Freely available to anyone.

Atlases, Gazetteers, GIS, and Maps

Directory of links to atlas, map, and gazetteer resources compiled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Library staff.

 Biodiversity Informatics from the AMNH Center for Biodiversity and Conservation

Provides resources for utilizing information technologies in biodiversity research and applications.

 Birds of North America Online

Comprehensive resource covering the life histories of North American Birds.

 Business and Company Resource Center

Database providing detailed company and industry news and information. (Available from )

 Columbia Gazetteer

A database of names, descriptions, and characteristics of over 165,000 places in the world.

 Encyclopaedia Britannica Online

Encyclopedia covering a wide range of topics.

Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)

Contains information about almost 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States.

GEOnet Names Server

Presents a database of foreign geographic names, approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (US BGN).

 Health Reference Center -- Academic

Index and full-text resource for health-related information.(Available from )

 Index Animalium

Searchable list of generic and specific names applied by authors to animals from 1758 to 1850.

Index to Organism Names(ION)

Contains all the animal, plant, and virus names data found within the Thomson BIOSIS literature databases (Zoological Record, BIOSIS Previews, and Biological Abstracts).

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

Provides rules and guidelines for assigning scientific names to animals.

 IRIS Funding Database (Illinois Research Information Service)

Directory of federal and private funding opportunities.

 Natural History Guides to the Web/Portals

Directory of links to natural history resources compiled by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Library staff.

Natural History Reference Sources

Directory of links to natural history resources compiled by Adam Schiff at University of Washington Libraries.

Nomenclator Zoologicus

A searchable database of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of Linnaeus (1758).

 Open Access (Free) Resources in Science

A list of links to sites with free ejournals, ebooks, databases, etc.

 Oxford English Dictionary

Authoritative dictionary of the English language that includes etymological analysis for each word.

 Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

Directory of links to map and gazetteer resources compiled by the Map Library at the University of Texas.

 Primary Search via Searchasaurus

Database for elemetary school students with information on a variety of topics, including an encyclopedia of animals.(Available from )

Science Tracer Bullet(from Library of Congress)

Contains research guides that help in locating information on science and technology subjects.

Science.gov

Gateway to over 50 million pages of authoritative selected science information provided by U.S. government agencies, including research and development results.

 TOPICSearch

Available from )

ZooBank

Database of scientific names of animals.