E-Reference Collection 

Helmke Library now offers savvy foragers rewarding results when hunting for a definition or a lead into the literature thicket. The fast-expanding number licensed resources in our E-Reference Collection have been selected for use by IPFW students, faculty, and staff. This electronic reference collection offers access to hundreds of high-quality electronic reference works, many of which have print equivalents shelved in Helmke Library's reference and science reference collections.

Use our E-Reference Collection to find dictionary definitions with audio pronunciation files, concise encyclopedia articles with recommended sources, pertinent facts, beautiful maps, full-color artwork that can enhance your research papers, and much, much more.

Every E-Reference Collection work in Helmke Library's digital library is accessible in IUCAT Catalog (Indiana University's online library catalog). You are welcome to Ask a Librarian to show you how to integrate E-Reference Collection resources into your personal foraging repertoire.

E-Reference Collection Databases

Here are three resource-rich digital collections licensed for use by IPFW students, faculty, and staff. Try them all, and compare your results to Wikipedia. Be sure to read the commentary below about the pros and cons of this free Web site compared to the peer-reviewed resources that Helmke Library offers.

Credo Reference -

Brief Description: Credo Reference is an electronic (e-reference) collection providing access to 3 million individual entries in nearly 300 encyclopedias and other reference works published by more than 60 publishers, including Cambridge, Collins, Routledge, Thames & Hudson, Blackwell, Penguin, Wiley, Merriam-Webster, McGraw-Hill, and others. Tools Available: Help for Credo Users Credo Reference Content How to Use the Content Map

Gale Virtual Reference Library -

Brief Description: Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) is an electronic reference (or e-reference) collection providing access to the full-text content of nearly 1.8 million documents in more than 200 major reference works published since 2000, including encyclopedias, almanacs, directories, and handbooks. Other IPFW Formats: Many titles are also available in print copy in Helmke Library's Reference Collection (first floor) or Science Reference Collection (fourth floor). These resources and all e-reference editions included in GVRL are also accessible via IUCAT Catalog. Tools Available: Title List of All Sources Included in IPFW's License Title List of Selected Sources by Database with Content Descriptions Basic Search Help Technical & Training Resources

Oxford Reference Online Premium -

Brief Description: Provides a single interface for searching more than 20 Oxford encyclopedias and 175 language and subject dictionaries and reference works, including the Oxford Companion series, Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, and Visual English Dictionary. Covers all areas of science, medicine, humanities, social sciences, and business. Other IPFW Formats: IPFW library also owns the printed editions of many titles included in ORO Premium. These resources can be located in the library using IUCAT Catalog. Tools Available: The list of subjects and books by title includes IPFW's licensed Oxford encyclopedias. Each title can also be searched separately.

Wikipedia

Let's admit it. Sometimes the best strategy is to take the easy way out. Use Wikipedia with caution and be critical about the information presented. Unlike the peer-reviewed, licensed resources offered by Helmke Library, this online encyclopedia is an openly collaborative project (a good thing) with little to protect its integrity (a bad thing). Many IPFW instructors will not accept citations from Wikipedia. To read more about Wikipedia's successes and failures, search for wikipedia* in Academic Search Premier, and discover more critical commentary like the following.

Bennington, Adam. "Dissecting the Web through Wikipedia." American Libraries 39 (August 2008): 46-48.

Paumgarten, Nick. "Dirty Wikitricks." New Yorker 82 (November 6, 2006): 48-50.

Read, Brock. "Can Wikipedia Ever Make the Grade?" Chronicle of Higher Education 53 (October 27, 2006): A31-A36.

Schiff, Stacy. "Know It All." New Yorker 82 (July 31, 2006): 36-43.