Reference spotlights

It’s that time of year: best lists are in the air. And who doesn’t love the chance to compare their reading tastes with others’ and see where the experts come up short?

But here’s something a little different: a list of noteworthy reference works, both print and electronic, that we haven’t seen yet. These were listed in the annual reference supplement that came with your November 15th print LJ, and were the ones that stuck out because of novel coverage angles, unusual material, or just because we can’t wait to see them. Our best reference feature will be available on March 1 this year, but until then, here’s a taste of what we’re excited to see in 2012.

e: Online only product
YA: Young adult
UG: Undergraduate
GP: Graduate/Pro
GA: General audience

General Reference

Atlas of Global Development: A Visual Guide to the World’s Greatest Challenges. 3d ed. World Bank. Sept. 2011. 144p. ISBN 9780821385838. pap. $29.95; Online: eAtlas of Global Development. UG GP
The dozens of colorful maps, graphs, charts, and photos in this valuable update are presented in chapters covering Rich and Poor, People (a chapter covering population growth and transition), Education, Health, Economy, Environment, and Statistics. The backbone of the material is the World Bank’s Development Indicators, data about each country on important quality-of-life signifiers such as household income, child mortality, and educational attainment. Better again is the new and extremely versatile ebook version of the work that offers multiple ways to sort the information. Among other actions, users can click on a country to see only data regarding that place, isolate ranges of data so that only relevant countries will show on the maps, and export customized maps and other graphics. A video detailing the possibilities is available at http://ow.ly/715NH.

Languages/Linguistics

World Englishes. 3 vols. Continuum. Apr. 2012. 864p. ISBN 9780826478481. $750. UG GP
As usual, Oscar Wilde hit the nail on the head when he noted, We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language. As English becomes the world’s lingua franca, some versions of it are nearly incomprehensible to native speakers from other places. What, then, could be more fascinating than this work’s cataloging of English as it is spoken in various regions and by various ethnicities? These first three volumes of a 12-volume set will cover the birth and development of the language in the British Isles, its effects on other languages and their impact in return, and the spread of English through the once-vast empire. Essays then examine local variations such as Manx, British Urban Ethnic, Canadian Indian, African American, Appalachian, and English in Mexico. Later volumes in the series will examine the language as it is spoken in Africa and Asia.

Arts

e Entertainment Industry Magazine Archive. ProQuest. Mar. 2012. www.proquest.com. UG GP GA
ProQuest has been busy lately. Besides opening The Vogue Archive (see p. 7), it’s preparing another trove of popular culture material: the Entertainment Industry Magazine archive will offer the complete runs, from their inception until 2000, of nearly 30 major trade and consumer magazines from the United States and other countries. Titles include Variety, Screen International, The Stage, Broadcast, American Film R&R / Radio & Records, The Beat, and Film Index. The database, which includes reviews, news, and other article types as well as major features, is a gold mine of primary source material for students of film and other popular media, history, sociology, business, and other disciplines. ProQuests’s new platform makes the material cross-searchable with the other ProQuest historical databases to which a library subscribes.

Literature

Critical Survey of Graphic Novels: Heroes & Superheroes. 2 vols. Salem. Apr. 2012. 1000p. ISBN 9781587658655. $295; Online: Salem Literature. YA UG GP
This is a work with purpose. According to the publisher, it aims to establish graphic novels and comic series as an important academic discipline and research topic in libraries. The title offers valuable collection development guidance to institutions that have yet to embrace that goal, as it provides information that it can take a superhero to discern: the 130 essays, which cover a publication each, list individual editions of the series, often comprising different story arcs and representing the accepted reading order of the work. It also makes readers’ advisory easier, providing three to five More Good Reads alongside each title. Confused professionals are not the primary audience of the work, though; it is really for fans. As well as bibliographic information, the entries include details on each graphic novel or comic’s publication history, plot, characters, artistic style, impact, and related works, such as TV shows and movies. Fans of a particular creator will relish the Works by Author/Artist index.

Philosophy & Religion

The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought. Princeton Univ. Sept. 2012. 712p. ISBN 9780691134840. $99.50. GP GA
This year’s Arab spring showed the Western world a side of Islamic politics that had unfortunately been overshadowed, at least in the media, by violence and tyranny. It’s clearly time for a fresh examination of the varied political thought emanating from the world’s more than 1.5 billion Muslims. Rarely has an impartial, scholarly source been more necessary, and Princeton’s 400 entries are written by an international team of experts, ensuring that the coverage will be diverse as well as reliable. Along with the alphabetically arranged entries covering thought as far back as the birth of the religion, the book provides 15 in-depth entries on major topics such as pluralism, fundamentalism, and gender. Also of value are the title’s ten historical and contemporary maps.

Sports & Recreation

Pro Wrestling: The Definitive Reference Guide. 2 vols. Greenwood. Dec. 2012. 504p. ISBN 9780313375019. $173; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. YA UG
No, it’s not a scholarly topic. It’s even a little cringe-inducing. But anyone who’s ever worked in a public library knows that it almost doesn’t matter what’s covered in this book, it will never be on the shelf. Greenwood is sure not to rest on that fact, though, as the publisher is known for producing quality, accessible overviews backed up by solid research and accompanied by useful further reading suggestions. Author GerryStrauss writes for magazines such as ProWrestling Illustrated and The Wrestler and for TNAwrestling.com. Based on Greenwood’s other works, the set is sure to cover the evolution of the sport, major figures and events in its history, and related issues and controversies. It won’t hurt either that this title will be an entrée to the reference collection for the after-school crowd.

History

Documenting America: The Primary Source Documents of a Nation. 4 vols. Britannica Educational. Jan. 2012. 192p. ISBN 9781615308101. $139.80; eISBN 9781615308569. YA
Both this set and Greenwood’s Multicultural Daily Life Through American History in Primary Documents will be invaluable in states that adhere to the Common Core Standards, which emphasize the ability to interpret primary-source material. But even in other places, students deserve the chance to absorb unfiltered history that’s often so much more affecting than a dry textbook. High school and community college students who want analysis to go with the documents and personal accounts will appreciate Britannica’s concise, accessible comments that cover From Columbus to Colonial America, American Revolution and the Young Republic, From Democracy’s Roots to a Country Divided, and American Civil War and Reconstruction. ABC-CLIO’s work, which the company describes as providing history’s first draft, offers 200 annotated documents that illustrate conditions past for Americans of every class and condition, men and women, parents and children, free and ‚Äòunfree,’ native-born and immigrant.

Encyclopedia of the War of 1812: A Political, Social, and Military History. 3 vols. ABC-CLIO. Apr. 2012. 1056p. ISBN 9781851099566. $310; Online: ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. YA UG
Anniversaries may inspire school reports even more than they create nostalgia, and the War of 1812 bicentennial next year is sure to generate its share of homework. Enter this encyclopedia, edited by Spencer C. Tucker, who has produced more than 40 hefty works for this publisher and is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a former professor of military history there. Researchers will welcome the detailed analysis of a period that is usually given short shrift in broader works. As the title suggests, the encyclopedia won’t stop with outstanding coverage of military events but also promises detailed analysis of social and political life in the early years of the 19th century. Next year is also, of course, an election year, and in that light it will be intriguing to see how the set treats the Era of Good Feelings ushered in by the conflict, during which, it is said, partisan bickering abated.

Sharp’s Dictionary of Power and Struggle: Language of Civil Resistance in Conflicts. Oxford Univ. Oct. 2011. 368p. ISBN 9780199829880. pap. $19.95. YA UG GP
Gandhi and Anna Hazare in India, civil rights and Occupy Wall Street leaders in this country, and the peaceful zealous all over the world know that nonviolent resistance can be more persuasive than guns or bombs. Such movements have been amply documented in narrative form over the years and are well represented on library shelves both real and virtual, but this 1000-entry dictionary, which describes related concepts, ideologies, governmental and other political systems, and tactics, is groundbreaking. Gene Sharp, described by the publisher as the godfather of nonviolent resistance, covers U.S. and international movements throughout history. His work is current enough to include a case study on the 2010‚ 11 Tunisian uprising and protests, which accompanies a study on Serbia 1996‚ 2000 and An Essay on Power and Realism. Wondering what a quisling is? Hartal? Lysistratic nonaction? They’re all defined in this fascinating resource, along with more pedestrian but no less important terms such as democracy, manifesto, and rigged election.

Political Science

e MyGovernment. Gale. Sept. 2011. www.gale.cengage.com. YA GA
We all have at least a vague memory of how a bill becomes a law thanks to Schoolhouse Rock. Those who want more details, though, or to become involved in local or national government will do well to try this guide. It provides information on how local and federal government works, as well as contact information for U.S. Representatives and details on where they stand on key issues, making it more comprehensive than print annuals that list only contact information. Additionally, it is more accessible and attractive to users than those tomes.

Education & Careers

China Handbook: Education in China. Berkshire Reference. May 2012. 325p. ISBN 9781933782591. $95. YA UG GP GA
The firestorm created earlier this year by the publication of Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother revealed the fear and fascination with whichWesterners regard Chinese, and even Chinese American, educational methods, especially given the warnings about U.S. children’s inability to compete with Chinese youngsters. Berkshire Publishing, which is increasingly specializing in materials about China, is well positioned to clear away the propaganda and offer a real picture of where Chinese education stands today. Its thoughtfully produced material is never biased and bears in mind cultural sensibilities on both sides of the divide. This work promises some fascinating reading, in articles covering, for example, the country’s brain drain, its contemporary educational system, various institutions and schools of thought, and related issues such as sex education and educational laws.

Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education. 4 vols. SAGE Reference. Jul. 2012. 2,016p. ISBN 9781412981521. $595; Online: SAGE Reference Online. YA UG GP GA
We’ve come a long way since coeds were a big deal, but racial and other kinds of diversity in education still cause considerable controversy in many places. Even educators who agree that diversity is necessary are not always sure how to go about achieving it, nor about relevant laws, best practices, or research. The kind of detailed examination found in a SAGE encyclopedia, then, is a welcome addition to the market. Editor James A. Banks is the director of the Center for Multicultural Education, part of the University of Washington College of Education. He has gathered an experienced editorial board to oversee areas such as racial diversity, professional education, curriculum issues, religion in schools, testing, law, gender and sexual orientation, language diversity, and immigration. Also note SAGE’s new publishing model‚ the company now sells some of its materials (though not this work) as separate volumes instead of sets and releases materials earlier in the year to match better the timing of librarians’ budgets.

e Library and Information Science Source‚Ñ¢. EBSCO. Jan. 2012. www.ebscohost.com. Call for price. UG GP
When it comes to periodical databases for librarians and library science students, H.W. Wilson wrote the book. After EBSCO bought the company last summer, many wondered what would become of its material. The best of all worlds has happened: in early 2012, EBSCO will unveil Library and Information Science Source, which will combine Wilson’s Library Literature & Information Science Index (and its Full Text and Retrospective versions), EBSCO’s Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts‚Ñ¢ (LISTA), and new material. The new Super Database will include more than 460 journals; approximately 30 full-text books, including Handbook of Electronic & Digital Acquisitions and Library/Vendor Relationships; and research reports and conference proceedings.

Law & Crime

The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System. 12th ed. Nolo. Sept. 2011. 652p. ISBN 9781413316209. pap. $39.99. UG GP GA
Most likely, not many books in your library are aimed at the accused, but they’re your patrons too. This volume is by the coauthors of Represent Yourself in Court: Paul Bergman, a Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law and Sara J. Berman, a professor at Concord Law School of Kaplan University, an online institution. The book details every part of a criminal case, from arrest to sentencing, and includes clear case examples and information for juveniles. Though the material is written for those who have no legal background, it also provides a primer for those wish to gain a little, in chapters such as Crimespeak: Understanding the Language of Criminal Laws, Defensespeak: Common Defenses to Criminal Charges, and Looking Up the Law.

The Digital Librarian’s Legal Handbook: Powerful, Concise Insight into Intellectual Property Rights in 21st-Century Digital Library Collections. Neal-Schuman. Nov. 2011. 250p. ISBN 9781555706494. pap. $130. GP GA
Many librarians remain confused about copyright with regard to print materials, let alone the intellectual morass that is electronic copyright law. It is a relief, then, that Neal-Schuman has tackled it on our behalf. The book, which is bound to provide the publisher’s usual unambiguous advice, is by John N. Gathegi, a professor at the University of South Florida’s library school and a lawyer. He explains how to verify the ownership of electronic information and how to seek the author’s permission to use it. The book also addresses digital rights management and copyright infringement and includes sample contracts and other documents. An essential purchase.

Communications & Journalism

Berkshire Publishing Manual of Style for International Publishing. Berkshire Reference. Sept. 2011. 152p. ISBN 9781614729338. pap. $22.95; eISBN 9781614729945. UG GP GA
Does your faculty publish in international journals? Or do international scholars work at your institution and need help with their submissions? This fascinating work can assist both of those groups but also provides writing guidance that we can all use. It makes readers aware of such faux pas as the northern-hemisphere-centric habit of referring to the middle of the year as summer and provides valuable guidance on how subject matter is conceptualized differently in different places, information that is difficult to find elsewhere. Especially valuable is the section For Authors Whose First Language Is Not English: What Publishers Expect. Given that this work is from Berkshire, a publisher with an extensive list of publications about China, many of them with Chinese contributors, the guide also discusses Special Rules for China-Related Projects.

Social Sciences

e Anthropology Online. Alexander Street. Jan. 2012. alexanderstreet.com/products/anto.htm. UG GP
With Alexander Street, if it’s not one fascinating collection of primary sources, it’s another. (See, for example, information on the company’s database of therapy sessions, p. 7). Anthropology Online is like an explorer’s attic, bursting with written ethnographies, field notes, memoirs, and contemporary studies about the peoples of the world that will eventually make up over 100,000 pages of material, much of it previously unpublished. The documentation, mainly in English but some of it in French and German, will be searchable by, for example, geographic region or cultural group, and will cover varied aspects of human existence such as race, marriage, gender, food and cooking, religion, magic, and the arts from the 19th century to today.

Encyclopedia of Adolescence. 5 vols. Springer. Oct. 2011. 3,363p. ISBN 9781441916945. $2050; Online: SpringerLink; SpringerReference. GP
Only in recent decades has adolescence been recognized as a distinct period of life; in the past, the necessity for children to work meant jumping straight from childhood to adulthood. Adolescence is not just a social construct, though. Recent research has shown that our brains remain physically immature well into our twenties, creating emotional and social issues. Edited by Roger J.R. Levesque, editor of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, the 7000 articles in the set will cover four major themes concerning young people: self, identity, and development; relationships, including sexual, nonsexual, and family interactions; social institutions; and mental health. It’s obvious that this resource will attract a wide audience, from concerned parents and religious leaders to educators and health professionals.

Sciences

The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World’s Greatest Challenge. 3d ed. Univ. of California. Jan. 2012. 128p. ISBN 9780520268234. $21.95. GA
The recent publication of the Times Atlas of the World prompted an apology from the publishers as a map in it overstated the extent of the melting of Greenland’s ice. This atlas promises to be more accurate, based on the reception of previous editions and the background of its authors. Kristin Dow, as well as being a professor of geography at the University of South Carolina, is a lead author in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Thomas E. Dowling is president of the Global Climate Adaptation Partnership, a visiting professor at Oxford University, and another contributor to the IPCC. The updated maps, graphics, and text illustrate and explain such topics as vulnerable populations, health impacts, renewable energy, emissions reduction, personal and public action, and the economic effect of climate change. An unusual feature: the volume also details the advantages gained by communities and businesses that adapt to climate change.

Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. Facts On File. Jan. 2012. 448p. ISBN 9780816077267. $95; eISBN 9781438137797. YA UG
High school biology students (especially those taking AP courses) as well as those interested in the terrible effects of environmental degradation on Earth’s range of life will appreciate this examination of topics as diverse as Darwin’s finches, seedless plants, and acid rain. The color-illustrated book includes 150 entries and five essays on these and other organisms, concepts, and processes. Other volumes in this series have been well received; like this work, they compete with similarly titled books from other publishers, but the material in those is usually too advanced for the high school market. Facts On File materials, however, make high-level scientific concepts accessible to secondary students.

Home Economics

The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford Univ. Sept. 2011. 848p. ISBN 9780195367133. $65. UG GP GA
Library shelves are already groaning under the weight of wine guides, but until now there hasn’t been such a thorough and serious examination of wine’s increasingly up-market cousin, beer. The 1100 entries overseen here by Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmaster (The Brewmaster’s Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food), examine practical aspects of the beverage, such as the chemistry of its creation and how it should be stored, but also cover more laid-back sides of the industry‚ food pairings and beer games, for example. Patrons from casual imbibers to the microbrew-obsessed (a theme of the book is that those are not as few as previously thought) will also appreciate the title’s extensive back matter: four appendixes list related organizations and clubs; festivals; websites, magazines, and newspapers; and museums.

Health/Medicine

Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. 4 vols. Springer. Sept. 2012. 3000p. ISBN 9781441916976. $1600; Online: SpringerLink; SpringerReference. GP
This encyclopedia, edited by Fred R. Volkmar, director of the Child Study Center of the Yale University of Medicine, offers an impartial, thorough analysis of dozens of topics, starting with Acquired Autism and ending with Zygosity and in between examining birth complications, eating disorders, heredity, peer relationships, reading and writing disorders, school-aged programs, self-help skills, and more. The work is aimed at students, educators, researchers, and professionals, but as librarians know, families affected by illness can quickly become experts, so it will be worth purchasing for parents who want more than they can find online and in popular works. Extensive cross-referencing will facilitate those unsure of the links among various ASD symptoms. The online version of the encyclopedia provides links to relevant articles from the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.