Reference Databases: GALILEO Databases

Oxford Reference Online combines rich and accessible resources offered by acclaimed titles in the Oxford Companions series with authoritative quick-reference coverage of the full subject spectrum. Since launch, the site has expanded to include access to over 200 ready reference dictionaries, as well as an ever-growing list of Oxford Companions titles; over 16,500 political and geographical maps, figures, and illustrations; and timelines to key events throughout history.

Sage Reference Online is a growing collection of full-text encyclopedias and handbooks on topics including medicine, public health, geography, education, psychology, political science, sociology, criminal justice, law, business, management, communications, gender studies, religion, African American studies, and history.

The Columbia Gazetteer of the World is a geographical encyclopedia of names, descriptions, and characteristics of places in the world. Entries include: demography; physical geography; political boundaries; industry, trade, and service activities; agriculture; cultural, historical, and archaeological points of interest; transportation lines; longitude, latitude, and elevations; distance to relevant places; pronunciations; official local government place-names and changed or variant names and spellings.

The Oxford English Dictionary is the accepted authority on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. The OED gives definitions, etymological analysis, and quotations to demonstrate the use of words in the English language over time.

The web-based version of the OED includes all information contained in the print counterpart, plus at least 1,000 new and revised entries each quarter.

The publisher, Oxford University Press, provides extensive information about the dictionary and its use on its web site.

Coverage ranges across many topics including demographics, income, production, trade, interest rates, economic indicators, energy, environmental protection, agriculture and fisheries, crime, medicine, and education.

Social Explorer is a premier U.S. demographics website. Its online tools help users visually analyze and understand thedemography of the United States through the use of interactive maps and data reports. The primary product is a web-based application that creates fast, intuitive, and visually appealing maps and reports. Its software gives anyone with an Internet connection access to census data that was previously the domain of social science experts. Users must create and log in with a personal account.

The Statistical Abstract of the United States Online compiles statistical tables from a wide array of federal, state, and local agencies; nonprofit and industry associations; and research organizations. Although the database began in 2013, some tables include historical statistics back as far as 1790. The source of the data is attached to each table, making the Statistical Abstract an excellent starting place for identifying more in-depth statistics. Many of the full statistical reports summarized in the Statistical Abstract are available in the ProQuest Statistical Insight database. The Statistical Abstract of the United States was published by the federal government between 1878-2012. These earlier editions are available on the Census Bureau website and in print in the Map & Government Information Library located within the Main Library.