1. Dictionaries

2. reference sources having to do with words word dictionary = a book (or wordbook or lexicon) dealing, usually in alphabetical order, with the words of a language listing the morphemes (i.e., forms) as they function in a linguistic system

3. History first dictionaries of began as typical lists of common words intended as a vocabulary aid and as lists of foreign or difficult words only (glossaries) earlier dictionaries work of one person (Johnson, Webster’s, Merriam-Webster’s) nowadays, comprehensive language dictionaries are the results of teams of people compiling databanks of words and definitions over periods of time (an edition base for successive new or spin-off editions which retain the original name)

4. Types of word dictionaries General General for target markets Special Special purpose/audience Foreign language Historical Subject

5. Types of word dictionaries general trade dictionaries meeting the normal language needs of adults or children) general for target markets trade dictionaries meeting the normal language needs of groups like school children, the college students)

6. Types of word dictionaries special some examples are etymological, loanwords, new words, eponyms rhyming, slang, thesaurus, concordance, synonyms, antonyms, abbreviations, prefixes, etc., and word-related dictionaries like mottoes, phrases, etc. special purpose/audience Technical, visual, second langauge-learning, graphics or other symbols explained

7. Types of word dictionaries foreign language Ranging from bilingual for language skills to poly-lingual for translation purposes across disciplines historical to record fully a language, documenting changes in words and language over time subject to define the terms and specialized vocabulary in a particular discipline

8. Types of word dictionaries General (trade dictionaries meeting the normal language needs of adults or children) General for target markets (trade dictionaries meeting the normal language needs of groups like school children, the college students) Special (some examples are etymological, loanwords, new words, eponyms rhyming, slang, thesaurus, concordance, synonyms, antonyms, abbreviations, prefixes, etc., and word-related dictionaries like mottoes, phrases, etc.

9. Dictionary entries Spelling Part of speech Pronunciation Use or status Origin and history Meaning

10. Dictionary entries Additionally under a word or in separate entries there may be explanations for: usage, national or regional differences in spelling, use, pronunciation, abbreviations, word elements (suffixes, prefixes, roots, compounds), word-related materials (commonly used phrases, mottoes)

11. Other concerns Principles of organization and definition within entries (contemporary or current use principle -- most common meaning first; historical principle -- evolution of language) Origin and history of words (etymology: facts about derivation or formation of a word) Principles of language instruction within entries (all dictionaries are instructive)

12. Other concerns Dictionary sizes (pocket, desk or concise, abridged and unabridged) Vocabulary (word count: methods vary); dictionary legitimizes language and any new additions should be in widespread, sustained use; modern communications accelerate and disseminate changes in language and make it very difficult to determine the degree of acceptance of change

13. Other concerns features dictionaries attract buyers with indexing features (thumb indexes, guide-words at the top of pages), illustrations and addenda

14. Other concerns encyclopedic dictionary most dictionaries do not have extensive explanations -- the concentration is on the word without allowing for proper names like biographical or geographical entries or the inclusion of events from history (e.g., named battles, famous places, books and paintings) inclusion of such entries alphabetically within the main body of the lexicon are considered an encyclopedic entry

15. Other concerns encyclopedic dictionary (cont.) other encyclopedic features are separate lists, essays, maps, etc. added to the dictionary at the front, back or end-papers encyclopedic features developed by Noah Webster (tendency of most American dictionaries is to be encyclopedic) criticism: that such information consumes space and disguises the “word” performance of a dictionary

16. Other concerns dictionaries for target populations general or trade dictionaries identified new target groups (e.g., speakers of English as a second language) dictionary creation for children (cognitive abilities different; vocabulary carefully chosen and graded, explanations related to encountering a word in a school situation); spinoffs from the general abridged trade desk dictionary with further abridgement and encyclopaedic addenda or supplementary material for target group (scholarly audience of Latin abbreviations, literary allusions, etc.)

17. Biographical Sources

18. biographical reference questions most often asked in libraries among the easiest to answer given the number of reference sources, circulating materials in the genre of biography variety of aids, including almanacs, encyclopedias, periodical indexes, newspapers and news digests (Facts on File), directories to identify people, subject disciplines with their own set of biographical sources

19. biographical reference sources English language general biographical dictionaries (collective biographies) Biographical dictionaries (to answer quick reference questions: b/d dates, brief facts, addresses; more substantial information often provided) individual biographies do not fit the definition of the reference work

20. Sorting biographical reference sources thinking in categories of sources a way for a librarian to decide what kind of biography will most quickly answer a question, and then, think of a title sources advertise themselves in the title (Who’s Who of Scientists in Canada) *identifies people in specific subject areas, professions, or associations (membership lists)

21. Sorting biographical reference sources resource type bibliographies and guides indexes dictionary / directory * ) scope or function comprehensive / universal: including people from all times and places; selective: defining inclusion by geography, time, career, etc.; international, national, or regional retrospective or current *identifies people in specific subject areas, professions, or associations (membership lists)

22. Biographical reference questions ready reference most common problems: librarian does not recognize a name, individual biographies are not available or not wanted by patron search: characteristics of the biographee, living or dead, era of the person, nationality, historical/political/ geographical/subject connection, professional connection, importance of the person

23. Biographical reference search biographee real fictional living dead era of the person nationality historical political geographical subject connection professional connection importance of the person

24. Biographical reference search: Asking the right reference questions living or dead: current or retrospective source era of the person: less important for retrospective searches; useful for current searches when a timeframe narrows choice of sources nationality: foreign or US source, national or regional professional connection: to eliminate or include directories as a possible source importance of the person: if major player in subject area, found in several types of sources; minor player referral to subject-specific resources

25. Biographical reference search : Asking the right reference questions historical, political, geographical, subject connection: if patron cannot answer, ask why material is wanted, helps in getting subject connection and go back to the sources interview - to elicit enough facts to decide most specific work: national source for national affiliation of a biographee; concise source for brief information (identification, nationality, occupation); current source for living persons; retrospective for deceased people

26. Biographical reference search : Following a search procedure type of information wanted: brief / long narratives starting points: biographical index (Biography & Genealogy Master Index), universal (comprehensive biography to identify concise entry, clues for further searching) consult recently published biographies first

27. Biographical reference sources : problems sources include famous, important, notable people, those whom others want to know about fame and fade: how to find balance bw standard historical figures and those currently having prominence; how to balance perception of importance with future importance librarians need to be careful of vanity publication and vanity presses

28. Biographical reference sources : organization and access alphabetical chronological (alphabetical within timeframes; need indexes) classified (abc within standard scheme for a discipline) hierarchical (church, government, military, according to rank, abc within file) topical (abc by topics the way a subject is talked about, or larger subject; home reference, popular sports, performing arts; children)

29. Biographical reference sources : organization and access name indexes for pseudonyms, nicknames, religious names, alternate form of spellings; indexes better than x- references additional indexes for collective biographies: occupation or profession, gender, racial/ethnic, geographical (place of birth)

30. Biographical reference sources : evaluation authority (person who wreote the entry: contributor, editorial staff, sources used: primary, secondary). Did the biographer have access to the biographee? Whether the biographee submitted materials for the entry. Possibility of information being falsified, modified, or hidden. features (pictures; associated references for entries)

31. Biographical reference sources Biographical indexes Universal, comprehensive sources Retrospective sources: national biography Current concise biography: Who’s Who Current biography: narrative entries

32. Biographical reference sources biographical indexes An Almanac of Famous People Biography & Genealogy Master Index Biography Index (Wilson Co.)

33. Biographical reference sources universal, comprehensive sources usually 1 volume; broad coverage from historical to present, no limitation; biographical sets: Gale, H.W.Wilson Co., Macmillan Publishing International Dictionary of Women’s Biography Longman Dictionary of 20th Century Biography Merriam-Webster’s Biographical Dictionary Macmillan Dictionary of Biography Chambers Biographical Dictionary

34. Biographical reference sources retrospective sources: national biography national biographies, deceased persons who contributed to the life of a nation monumental (monument for the nation) and memorial to its people DAB, DNB, DCB

35. Biographical reference sources retrospective sources: national biography DNB, “the greatest literary monument of Victorian times”, an exemplar of national biography, limited international context (early settlers in America, Canada, Australia, East Indians), 29,000 entries 1895-1905 (started 1882), ed. Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee abc arrangement main set (22 volumes), Concise DNB (2 vols.) supplements (volumes for half-decades)

36. Biographical reference sources retrospective sources: national biography American equivalent Dictionary of American Biography (ceased mid-1960s) National Cyclopedia of American Biography, with a retrospective Permanent Series and a Current Series set (also ceased) succeeded by American National Biography (24 vols., 1999)

37. Biographical reference sources current concise biography Who’s Who living people, lives outlined in concise entries national, international, scope defined ca. 1900 “mug books” charging for inclusion of an entry

38. Biographical reference sources current concise biography Who’s Who original Who’s Who (annual, British but includes people from other countries, 1849+) information derived from contact with the biographee, revised annually by biographee anonymous editorial board decides on inclusion criticism of quality of entries

39. Biographical reference sources current concise biography Who’s Who obituary list of entrants (considered for retrospective Who Was Who series) Who’s Who in America (more introductory material, reference worthy included; use questionnaire filled by biographee; *if pbl house compiles or completes entries) Who Was Who in America created from historical sources

40. Biographical reference sources current biography: narrative entries when in-depth information rather than concise factual entry is needed, sources of descriptive and narrative coverage Current Biography (monthly magazine with 16-18 long profiles and picture of newsworthy, popular people, issues cumulated in a yearbook, with cumulated index to the past decade

41. Biographical reference sources current biography: narrative entries newspapers and New York Times Biographical Service with indexes reproduces articles and photos from the New York Times and New York Times Magazine obituary articles in The Annual Obituary

42. Biographical reference sources: Questions How would you define “contribution” to a nation, beyond the contribution assumed as part of a person’s rank, position? Can a biographical dictionary be a social history?

43. Biographical reference sources: Questions Should people who are notorious be represented in national biography? Are such persons in the national biographies? Should people who are notorious be in a who’s who? Should people who fall from grace be removed? Censured in an entry?