ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Man, Myth and Magic:
the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mythology, Religion and the Unknown
REF 133 MAN
Encyclopedia of Sociology
REF 301.03 ENC 4 vols.
Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures & Daily Life
REF 305.8 1998 WOR vols. 1-4
McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology
503 MCG 2007
Van Nostrand Reinhold Encyclopedia of Chemistry
540.3 VAN
The Reader's Encyclopedia - Guide to World Literature.
REF 803 REA
DICTIONARIES
Cambridge Dictionary of Science and Technology
503 CAM
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
503 MCG
Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology is a 2,432 page work covering 124 fields of science. It contains complete, up-to-date definitions for all areas of science and technology. The Dictionary is designed for use by practising scientists and professionals in all scientific fields - consultants and technical personnel; high school, college, and graduate students; writers, researchers, or educators working with a scientific vocabulary; and general readers interested in science.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary defines the working vocabulary of the sciences in language that general readers can read and enjoy. Clearly written and richly illustrated, the dictionary covers all the major fields of science, from the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to the applied realms of medicine, ecology, and computer science. Many entries are accompanied by instructive photographs and drawings.
Allusions-Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical:
A Thematic Dictionary
REF 803 ALL
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
REF 803 BAL
A Dictionary of Literary Devices
REF 803 DUP 1991
The Bloomsbury Dictionary of English Literature presents a multiplicity of authors, texts and themes gathered together into one authoritative source. The key attractions are entries on writers, entries on individual works, Biblical and mythological characters and events, literary and critical terms and movements, and entries describing historical, cultural and social events.
A Dictionary of Literary Symbols Entries clearly explain and illustrate the literary symbols that we all encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold), along with hundreds of cross-references and quotations. The dictionary concentrates on English literature, but its entries range widely from the Bible and classical authors to the twentieth century, taking in American and European literatures.
Oxford English Dictionary Online
If off-campus, contact Public Services Librarian for username/password.
HANDBOOKS
Standard Handbook of Engineering Calculations
620.01513 STA
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics:
a Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data
540 CRC 1999
Vault Reports guide to mastering chemistry
540.76 CHI 1998
The Harper Handbook to Literature
REF 803 FRY
A Handbook to Literature
REF 803 HOL
Crowell's Handbook of Classical Literature
Guide to the Drama, Poetry, and Prose of Greece and Rome, with biographies of their authors.
REF 880.03 FED
The Oxford Companions to Literature include entries on authors, literary works, genres, allusions, terminology, characters, movements, prizes, etc.
The Oxford Companion to American Literature
REF 810.3 HAR
The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature
REF 810.3 OXF
MISCELLANEOUS GUIDES
Granger's Index to Poetry
Are you looking for a poem about mirrors, or eels, or astrology? Do you remember the first line of a poem, but not the title or author? Includes title and first line, author, and subject indexes. This book does NOT give you the full text of poems. Ask library staff for assistance in locating poems elsewhere.
REF 808.81016 GRA
A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe:
the Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
510.1 SCH 1994
GENERAL COLLECTION
WebCat & Library of Congress Subject Headings
The WebCat is the Library's computerized catalogue. It is the listing of books, videos, and journals available in the Library. You can locate material on specific topics by performing a Subject Heading search. Portage College Library uses Library of Congress Subject Headings.
Some sample headings you can perform a search on in the WebCat:
Biology
Chemistry
English language
Mathematics
Physics
Public speaking
Report writing
Resumes (employment)
Social sciences
Study skills
The Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System to group books and videos together by subject on the library shelves. The call number on the WebCat corresponds to the number on the label on the spine of the book (e.g. 155.4 BEE).
Examples
300 - Social studies
371 - Study skills
428 - Grammar
500 - Sciences
650.14 - Resumes/Cover letters
808 - Writing, Technical skills
PERIODICALS: MAGAZINES, JOURNALS, NEWSPAPERS
Periodicals are published at regular intervals, generally more frequently than annually. Each issue is numbered and/or dated consecutively, and normally contains separate articles, stories, or other writings. Scanning current issues of periodicals in your subject area can be useful when you are trying to think of a topic.
ELECTRONIC DATABASES
An electronic database is used to find articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Portage Library subscribes to a number of Web-based electronic databases. For a complete listing of these databases, please see this list and consult with a library staff on the appropriate database(s) to use for your research needs. The databases that you will find useful for your studies are:
Gale Cengage Databases
Academic OneFile has extensive coverage of the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects. With millions of articles available in both PDF and HTML full-text with no restrictions, researchers are able to find accurate information quickly. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1995. Updated daily.
EBSCO Databases
MasterFILE Premier
Covering virtually every subject area of general interest, MasterFILE Premier also includes nearly 500 full text reference books, biographies, primary source documents, and an Image Collection of photos, maps and flags. This database is updated daily.
Academic Search Complete is the world's most comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 4,600 peer-reviewed journals. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in searchable PDF format.
Access to databases is restricted to the Portage College students, faculty and staff
WEB SITES
The Internet is a rich source of material. The sites listed here are just a starting point. If you are looking for a specific topic, try typing keywords into one of the basic search tools such as Yahoo, AltaVista, Google, etc.
Essential Skills Online Learning Tool NEW
The Essential Skills Online Learning Tool is an innovative way to learn more about the complexity levels of Essential Skills. Various Authentic Workplace Materials are used to help demonstrate the differences between each level of the nine Essential Skills. Document Use, Numeracy, Writing, Working with Others, Thinking Skills, Computer Use and Continuous Learning are now available.
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar and punctuation guide. Includes examples and mini-quizzes in an easy to use format.
eNature
Derived from the Audubon Field Guide Books. Includes color photos of plants, animals, birds, shells, etc. as well as narrative.
Job Futures
Full text of Government of Canada publication that describes the current and future job prospects for a variety of occupations. Updated annually.
Math2.org
Contains math reference tables covering algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
Mathworld
Includes over 10,000 entries, animated graphics and more. A free service for the mathematical community provided by Wolfram Research with additional support from the National Science Foundation.
Project Gutenberg
Full text of many classic books.
Canadian Poetry and Poets
Poetry, biographies, and bibliographies of more than seventy Canadian poets. Also provides information about literary events and awards, Canadian poetry journals and magazines, other poetry sites, and other related resources.
Canadian Information by Subject - National Library of Canada
