A c t i o n f o r L i b r a r i e s — F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 5

In Reference...

Edited by Brandie Baumann
LitFinder Renewal Begins
BCR libraries with a subscription to Lit Finder, a Thomson Gale literature database, may now renew access for 2005-2006. Thomson Gale and BCR are maintaining last year's subscription pricing for this year. To access the Web form go to www.bcr.org/reference/Thomson/LitFinder/LitFinder-Form.html. The group subscription period for LitFinder runs April 1 through March 31. Libraries that purchase after the start of the subscription period will receive a prorated price. The BCR Web order/renewal form for LitFinder also can function as a cost calculator without obligating the user to subscribe.

BCR members who are not LitFinder subscribers are invited to participate in a two-month free trial. To obtain a user name and password, fill out the BCR LitFinder trial form at www.bcr.org/reference/Thomson/LitFinder/LitFinder-Trial-Form.html. The user name and password provided for the free trial are valid until the end of April. For more information, contact Laura Chittivej (lchittiv@bcr.org) at BCR.

Oxford University Press (OUP) News
OUP has started the new year by releasing updates for a number of its reference database products.

OED Online (Oxford English Dictionary) has combined the A-Z sequence Second Edition and New Edition into one fully searchable database. The new model is a single A-to-Z sequence in which revised entries progressively replace their old counterparts every quarter. It is still possible to look back at the older entries in a more useful pop-up window. An Advanced Search option is provided for those who wish to search the full 1989 Second Edition on its own. More information on the display of entries is available at www.oed.com/help/display/earlier.html.

A new "Lost for Words" feature allows random browsing of OED entries with the click of a button. (The Lost for Words icon can be found in the top navigation bar next to the Find Word icon.)
Grove Art Online now offers a new Explore feature enabling users to customize searches with combinations from five major subject categories: Art and Art Form; Geography; People; Time Periods; and Styles and Cultures. This powerful tool offers users the ability to browse more than 45,000 articles in 170-plus categories in the visual arts. See how it works at www.groveart.com/shared/views/subject_class.html.
Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection (ORO) has two new updated titles and a new way to explore its content. Key events in 20th century history are now linked to entries across seven broad thematic and country timelines.

The Oxford Companion to United States History has been updated with new materials, including first-time entries on George W. Bush; September 11, 2001; War on Terrorism; USA Patriot Act; and new material on the Department of Homeland Security.

The Oxford Companion to American Literature has added more than 80 entries, including ones on comedian Woody Allen, film writer David Mamet and authors Toni Morrison, Anne Rice and Philip Roth.

ORO Core Collection subscribers can preview the new features available in the Premium Collection to decide whether to upgrade their subscriptions to the Premium Collection. Free trials are available.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) has received updates in editorial content and has several new features and functionality. The January 2005 update gives users 195 biographies of noteworthy people who died in 2001. A full list of the biographies added is available at www.oxforddnb.com/themes/theme.jsp?articleid=93826. Other new editorial content is available at www.oxforddnb.com/themes/index.jsp. (Note that some users might need to refresh their browsers for this page to appear.)

A new feature that users will find convenient is the ability to e-mail articles and search results, either as text files or as special links, giving the recipient access to the article for five days, even without a subscription. Oxford DNB is now compliant with OpenURL 0.1 guidelines giving users the ability to search for bibliographic sources in their library's online catalog. In addition, all articles from the original DNB now display with full author names rather than initials only.

Contact Laura Chittivej at BCR (lchittiv@bcr.org) to arrange for a free trial on any of the Oxford Online database products. She can also help with pricing and subscription questions.

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