Research Guides: Online Reference Shelf: Encyclopedias

Finding Encyclopedias

On the Library homepage use the red search box to type in "encyclopedia" along with any keywords related to the type or subject of encyclopedia you need.

To narrow the results to only online resources, in the left-hand pane under "Refine your search" click in the "eBook Full Text Online" box.

Encyclopedia Collections

Credo Reference
Credo Reference is a ready-reference solution for learners and librarians. Its full-text¸ aggregated content covers every major subject from the world's best publishers of reference materials. The content is enriched with images¸ sound files¸ maps and customizable data tables.
Coverage: varies
Electronic Book Center (OhioLINK)
Search the Electronic Book Center for encycopedias.
Gale Virtual Reference Library @ Gale Ebooks
Gale Ebooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library) is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library¸ but now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7.
World Book Online
World Book Online is a suite of online research tools that delivers encyclopedia articles¸ primary source collections¸ educator tools¸ student activities¸ pictures¸ audio¸ and video¸ complemented by current periodicals and related Web sites. All the databases are editor-screened for authenticity and age-appropriate content.
Oxford Reference Online
The Core Collection is a huge and comprehensive resource that contains over 100 dictionaries and reference titles covering the complete subject spectrum: from General Reference and Language to Science and Medicine¸ and from Humanities and Social Sciences to Business and Professional.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias.
Substantive, peer-reviewed, and regularly updated, the Oxford Research Encyclopedias cover a number of subjects and disciplines.

Selected Online Encyclopedias

Columbia Encyclopedia from Credo Reference
The Columbia Encyclopedia¸ 6th Edition (CE6) contains over 55¸000 articles¸ providing succinct but complete coverage of all areas. CE5 also includes over 70¸000 hypertext cross-references¸ allowing for easy navigation among related topics.
CQ Encyclopedia of American Government
CQ Encyclopedia of American Government (EAG) provides answers to the full range of questions that students¸ government professionals¸ interested citizens¸ and other researchers have about the institutions of U.S. government. Based on the CQ Press ready-reference American Government A to Z series¸ EAG offers thousands of concise¸ up-to-date explanations of the who¸ how¸ and why of American democracy.
Encyclopedia of Life Sciences
eLS features over 5,000 specially commissioned, peer-reviewed and citable articles in the life sciences
Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Online)
English-language reference source for philosophy¸" has been the cornerstone of the philosophy reference shelf. Lauded for its clear and accessible presentation of wide-ranging philosophical subjects¸ the Encyclopedia has earned its place as a first-stop resource for general readers¸ students and educators.
Edition: 2006, 2nd ed., 10 vol.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy was designed from its inception (September 1995) as a dynamic reference work. In a dynamic reference work¸ each entry is maintained and kept up to date by an expert or group of experts in the field. All entries and updates are refereed by the members of a distinguished Editorial Board before they are made public. Consequently¸ this dynamic reference work is responsive to new research. You can¸ however¸ cite fixed editions which are made on a quarterly basis and stored in the Archives.

Encyclopedias in Subject Guides

To search for subject-specific dictionaries in the catalog, do a SUBJECT SEARCH for your discipline followed by "encyclopedia"; for example, "computer science --encyclopedias," Online encyclopedias will include "electronic resource" as part of the title.

Please note that some dictionaries may be available only in print and for use on library premises.

Some of our online research guides include links to subject-specific reference sources; for example: