Biographical Sources, Biographical Sources, DictionariesDictionaries

LIS 704LIS 704

Summer 2009Summer 2009

Reference & Online ResourcesReference & Online Resources

Reference work, authority, and Reference work, authority, and contextualization contextualization

The quality and effectiveness of any reference source The quality and effectiveness of any reference source depends on three qualities –depends on three qualities –

• The “expertise” of the librarianThe “expertise” of the librarian– Knowledge of the subjectKnowledge of the subject– Expertise based on the ability to listen and ask questionsExpertise based on the ability to listen and ask questions– Organized knowledge of relevant sources; knowledge to organize Organized knowledge of relevant sources; knowledge to organize

sourcessources• The authority of the sourceThe authority of the source

– Reputation of both the author and publisherReputation of both the author and publisher– Sustainability – how long has the source been around?Sustainability – how long has the source been around?– How “expensive” is it to use?How “expensive” is it to use?

• Deliberative use of other tools and sourcesDeliberative use of other tools and sources– How easily can the librarian link one source to anotherHow easily can the librarian link one source to another– Are the variety of relevant reference sources linked in effective Are the variety of relevant reference sources linked in effective

(seamless) fashion through catalogs, indexes, bibliographies, catalogs(seamless) fashion through catalogs, indexes, bibliographies, catalogs– A careful constant calibration between tangible and digital sourcesA careful constant calibration between tangible and digital sources

The “expertise” of the The “expertise” of the librarianlibrarian• Knowledge of the subject Knowledge of the subject

– Gained by training or experienceGained by training or experience– Find expertise on the web Find expertise on the web

• FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY RESEARCH:FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE HISTORY RESEARCH:A Practitioner's Guide to Compiling the Documents and A Practitioner's Guide to Compiling the Documents and Sifting for Legislative IntentSifting for Legislative Intent

• Expertise in being able to listen and ask questionsExpertise in being able to listen and ask questions– The art of listening to library patrons – it is never about The art of listening to library patrons – it is never about

the first question they askthe first question they ask• Organized knowledge of relevant sourcesOrganized knowledge of relevant sources

– Reference Collection Development: A ManualReference Collection Development: A Manual– Being able to connect both electronic and paper Being able to connect both electronic and paper

collections; recall our discussion of how libraries collections; recall our discussion of how libraries organize their digital reference spaceorganize their digital reference space

The authority of the sourceThe authority of the source

• Reputation of both the author and publisherReputation of both the author and publisher– Determine the authority – using the review literature, how Determine the authority – using the review literature, how

often is the source cited by other “experts”often is the source cited by other “experts”

• Sustainability – how long has the source been Sustainability – how long has the source been around?around?– Use WorldCat to determine how long the source has been Use WorldCat to determine how long the source has been

around (how many editions) and how many other libraries around (how many editions) and how many other libraries selectselect

• How “expensive” is it to use?How “expensive” is it to use?– This is often based less on the actual cost of the source, This is often based less on the actual cost of the source,

but more on how much money the institution can afford to but more on how much money the institution can afford to spend, and how much it offloads the expense of learning spend, and how much it offloads the expense of learning cheap, but poorly constructed, sources on its userscheap, but poorly constructed, sources on its users

Deliberative use of other tools Deliberative use of other tools and sourcesand sources• How easily can the librarian link one source to anotherHow easily can the librarian link one source to another

– Again a matter of librarian training, experience and flexibilityAgain a matter of librarian training, experience and flexibility

• Are the variety of relevant reference sources linked in Are the variety of relevant reference sources linked in effective (seamless) fashion through catalogs, effective (seamless) fashion through catalogs, indexes, bibliographies, catalogsindexes, bibliographies, catalogs– Is the library, and its organizational schemes, an obstacle or a Is the library, and its organizational schemes, an obstacle or a

seamless connection between the user and what they want. seamless connection between the user and what they want. Give some examplesGive some examples

• A careful constant calibration between tangible and A careful constant calibration between tangible and digital sourcesdigital sources– How easily can the librarian move between the variety of How easily can the librarian move between the variety of

formats in both tangible and digital worldsformats in both tangible and digital worlds

The classic points of evaluationThe classic points of evaluationused by librarians to evaluate used by librarians to evaluate

a sourcea source• FormatFormat

• ScopeScope

• Comparison with other sourcesComparison with other sources

• AuthorityAuthority

• AccuracyAccuracy

• CurrencyCurrency

• IndexingIndexing

Biographical SourcesBiographical Sources

• As defined by Answers.comAs defined by Answers.com– http://www.answers.com/Biographyhttp://www.answers.com/Biography

• As defined by bio.com As defined by bio.com – http://www.biography.com/http://www.biography.com/

• As defined by a traditional library text As defined by a traditional library text book (taken from Bopp and Smith)book (taken from Bopp and Smith)– “…“…a history of the lives of individuals…”a history of the lives of individuals…”

DictionariesDictionaries

• As defined by Answers.comAs defined by Answers.com– http://www.answers.com/dictionaryhttp://www.answers.com/dictionary

• As defined by classic library text As defined by classic library text book (Smith and Bopp)book (Smith and Bopp)

– “…“…define words; to verify spelling, define words; to verify spelling, syllabication, or pronunciation; to syllabication, or pronunciation; to check on usage; or to determine the check on usage; or to determine the etymological history of a word (or etymological history of a word (or concept; event; person, etc.)concept; event; person, etc.)

General and Specialized General and Specialized Biographical SourcesBiographical Sources

• When librarians seek biographical information their When librarians seek biographical information their needs are often driven by the users in two ways: simple needs are often driven by the users in two ways: simple and complex.and complex.

• Simple questions usually involve determination of birth Simple questions usually involve determination of birth date and place, death date, and, a concise description date and place, death date, and, a concise description of what the person did while he or she was alive on of what the person did while he or she was alive on earth.earth.

• Complex questions usually seek to place the Complex questions usually seek to place the individual’s relative importance (influence) within the individual’s relative importance (influence) within the larger social, economic, political, cultural or religious larger social, economic, political, cultural or religious context of the society and times they lived. Many cases context of the society and times they lived. Many cases these sources also seek to explain the individual’s these sources also seek to explain the individual’s lasting influence on subsequent generations.lasting influence on subsequent generations.

• The “15 minutes of fame” ruleThe “15 minutes of fame” rule

General and Specialized General and Specialized Biographical SourcesBiographical Sources

Basic categories of biographical sources (remember these are Basic categories of biographical sources (remember these are permeable)permeable)

• Biographical Directories/DictionariesBiographical Directories/Dictionaries– Who’s Who; Current Biography; Contemporary Authors; Dictionary of Who’s Who; Current Biography; Contemporary Authors; Dictionary of

Scientific BiographyScientific Biography• Retrospective Biographical DirectoriesRetrospective Biographical Directories

– Encyclopedia of World Biography; Dictionary of National BiographyEncyclopedia of World Biography; Dictionary of National Biography• ObituariesObituaries

– New York Times; newspapers; periodic literature – See the Lady Bird New York Times; newspapers; periodic literature – See the Lady Bird Johnson exampleJohnson example

• Periodic literaturePeriodic literature– Magazines, journals, periodic reportsMagazines, journals, periodic reports

• Biographic monographsBiographic monographs– My LifeMy Life

• Histories; literature; memoirs; exposesHistories; literature; memoirs; exposes– Daniel Webster and the Rise of National ConservatismDaniel Webster and the Rise of National Conservatism

General and Special General and Special DictionariesDictionaries• When librarians seek to use dictionaries on When librarians seek to use dictionaries on

behalf of their users in two ways: simple and behalf of their users in two ways: simple and complex.complex.

• Simple questions no longer exist (just kidding)Simple questions no longer exist (just kidding)

• Complex questions usually involve more than Complex questions usually involve more than just dictionaries, but often range along the just dictionaries, but often range along the lines of language, linguistics, archeology, lines of language, linguistics, archeology, cryptography, symbolism, and sometimes just cryptography, symbolism, and sometimes just trying to make sense of someone else’s trying to make sense of someone else’s “slang”“slang”

Describing the Importance of Describing the Importance of Lady Bird Johnson’s Life and Lady Bird Johnson’s Life and TimesTimes• Biographic Directories, Dictionaries, most Biographic Directories, Dictionaries, most

obituariesobituaries– Wife of Lyndon Baines Johnson; basic Wife of Lyndon Baines Johnson; basic

information about growing up in Texas; information about growing up in Texas; influence as wife of a powerful democratic influence as wife of a powerful democratic politician; as a first lady; life after her politician; as a first lady; life after her husband’s deathhusband’s death

– Example of a source that combines all of the Example of a source that combines all of the above:above:

• Lady Bird Johnson dies at 94: Former first lady leaves rich legacy as Lady Bird Johnson dies at 94: Former first lady leaves rich legacy as political wife, environmental activist, businesswoman.political wife, environmental activist, businesswoman.

Describing the Importance of Describing the Importance of Lady Bird Johnson’s Life and Lady Bird Johnson’s Life and TimesTimes• Periodic and Monographic LiteraturePeriodic and Monographic Literature

– Describes details of how she influenced her husband’s Describes details of how she influenced her husband’s decisions and political life;decisions and political life;

– Details business deals and financial support for her Details business deals and financial support for her husband’s political career;husband’s political career;

– A more nuanced sense of her role in supporting A more nuanced sense of her role in supporting environmental, wilderness, and highway beautification environmental, wilderness, and highway beautification effortsefforts

1.1. Slate.com article: The Honest Graft of Lady Bird Slate.com article: The Honest Graft of Lady Bird JohnsonHow she and Lyndon came by their JohnsonHow she and Lyndon came by their millions.millions.

2.2. Books about Johnson: The years of Lyndon Books about Johnson: The years of Lyndon Johnson Johnson

General and Special General and Special DictionariesDictionaries

• General Dictionaries General Dictionaries – Abridged and Unabridged: the former is Abridged and Unabridged: the former is

abbreviated; the latter is complete and abbreviated; the latter is complete and often weighs several pounds often weighs several pounds

– Descriptive or Prescriptive: how the Descriptive or Prescriptive: how the word is used or how it should be usedword is used or how it should be used

General and Special General and Special DictionariesDictionaries• According to Smith and Bopp (our classic According to Smith and Bopp (our classic

library text), there are only “…three good library text), there are only “…three good unabridged English-language unabridged English-language dictionaries…” Discuss what is missing dictionaries…” Discuss what is missing from this list.from this list.– Webster’s Third New International Dictionary ofWebster’s Third New International Dictionary of

the English Language, Unabridged the English Language, Unabridged– The Random House Webster’s Unabridged DictiThe Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dicti

onaryonary– Funk & Funk & WagnallsWagnalls New Standard Dictionary New Standard Dictionary

General and Special General and Special DictionariesDictionaries

Why the Why the Oxford English Dictionary Oxford English Dictionary (OED) isn’t on the previous list(OED) isn’t on the previous list– The OED is the gold-standard of The OED is the gold-standard of

etymological sources for the English etymological sources for the English language, and as such is often not used language, and as such is often not used in libraries to settle questions of in libraries to settle questions of definition or spelling, but rather to definition or spelling, but rather to resolve questions of usage, history, and resolve questions of usage, history, and word origins word origins

General and Special General and Special DictionariesDictionaries

Other kinds of dictionariesOther kinds of dictionaries• Desk dictionariesDesk dictionaries

– Merriam Webster’s Collegiate DictionaryMerriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary• Secondary and elementary schoolSecondary and elementary school

– American Heritage Concise Dictionary American Heritage Concise Dictionary – American Heritage First DictionaryAmerican Heritage First Dictionary

• Foreign-Language DictionariesForeign-Language Dictionaries• Slang and DialectSlang and Dialect

– Dictionary of American Regional UsageDictionary of American Regional Usage• Thesauri and Usage GuidesThesauri and Usage Guides

– Roget’s International ThesaurusRoget’s International Thesaurus– The New Fowler’s Modern English UsageThe New Fowler’s Modern English Usage

• Special Subject DictionariesSpecial Subject Dictionaries– QuotationsQuotations– TopicsTopics– HistoryHistory

Testing the Limits of Definition Testing the Limits of Definition RealitiesRealities

• Can we find an “official” definition of Can we find an “official” definition of the word “muggle”? Which source do the word “muggle”? Which source do you trust?you trust?

Bring your answer in for discussion Bring your answer in for discussion during Thursday’s class.during Thursday’s class.

Some Further “Deep Some Further “Deep Thoughts”Thoughts”

• Reference work is set of skills forged (and Reference work is set of skills forged (and constantly reshaped) through a confluence constantly reshaped) through a confluence of experience gained from answering of experience gained from answering collections; careful use of existing collections; careful use of existing information sources; and a cultivation of information sources; and a cultivation of learning, curiosity, and constantly exploring learning, curiosity, and constantly exploring new sources, literatures, and disciplines.new sources, literatures, and disciplines.

• The Reference and User Service Association The Reference and User Service Association (RUSA) of ALA defines reference transaction (RUSA) of ALA defines reference transaction

• Let us examine and question the Let us examine and question the institutional and personal dynamics of these institutional and personal dynamics of these two pointstwo points