Subject Guides: Humanities: Background Info

Encyclopedias & Reference Sources

Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) This link opens in a new window
Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.

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Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window Oxford Reference Online brings together language and subject reference works from one of the world's biggest reference publishers into a single cross-searchable resource. The Core Collection contains over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press. It is a fully-indexed, cross-searchable database of these books, giving subscribers unprecedented access to a comprehensive information resource. Also includes access to Oxford Digital Reference, a collection of 17 ebooks covering The Renaissance, Dance, Global Change, The Reformation, Byzantium, Theatre and Performance, The Enlightenment, Economic History, Evolution, Ancient Egypt, Food and Drink in America, The Middle Ages, American Literature, Latinos and Latinas in the United States, British Literature, Linguistics, and Children's Literature.

Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window Comprehensive encyclopedia of art, with authoritative and comprehensive reference sources for all visual arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, drawing, printmaking, design, and decorative arts. Includes links to images from libraries and museums. Contains: Grove Art Online, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Concise Oxford, and The Dictionary of Art Terms. We have 8 simultaneous users.
Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window Indexes the full text of the revised second edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the authoritative encyclopedia for all aspects of music. Includes links to digital sound, images, and related sites. Updated quarterly and annually. We have 5 simultaneous users.

Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era: 1760-1850 - Humanities Reference NX 425.5 .R64 E53 2004
Encyclopedia of the Renaissance - Humanities Reference CB 361 .E52 1999 6 vols.
Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization provides an authoritative survey of the Greek and Roman worlds in all their aspects. Drawing on the latest edition of the higly praised Oxford Classical Dictionary, the Companion offers articles on diverse fields such as, history and politics; ethics and morals; law and punishment; social and family life; language, literature, and art; religion and mythology; technology, science, and medicine.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome offers a comprehensive overview of the major cultures of the classical Mediterranean worldGreek, Hellenistic, and Romanfrom the Bronze Age to the fifth century CE. It also covers the legacy of the classical world and its interpretation and influence in subsequent centuries.
Brill's New Pauly Online Devoted to Greco-Roman antiquity and covers more than two thousand years of history, ranging from the second millennium BC to early medieval Europe. Special emphasis is given to the interaction between Greco-Roman culture on the one hand, and Semitic, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavonic culture, and ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on the other hand. The section on the Classical Tradition is uniquely concerned with the long and influential aftermath of antiquity and the process of continuous reinterpretation and revaluation of the ancient heritage, including the history of classical scholarship. Brill´s New Pauly presents the current state of traditional and new areas of research and brings together specialist knowledge from leading scholars from all over the world. Many entries are elucidated with maps and illustrations and the English edition will include updated bibliographic references.
Greek Mythology: An Encyclopedia of Myth and Legend Humanities Reference BL 782 .S76x 1991
The Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts 1300-1990's - Humanities Reference NX 650 .M9 R45 1999
Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (2nd Edition) Reference source with a broad reach, encompassing the various fields and endeavors in which ethical issues arise as well as the field of practical ethics itself and a variety of historical, contemporary, religious, and secular approaches.

Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Macmillan) This link opens in a new window In Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL)
Encyclopedia of Aesthetics This link opens in a new window Encyclopedia of Aesthetics

Encyclopedia of Creativity Now completely updated and revised in its second edition, coverage encompasses the definition of creativity, the development and expression of creativity across the lifespan, the environmental conditions that encourage or discourage creativity, creativity within specific disciplines like music, dance, film, art, literature, etc., the relationship of creativity and mental health, intelligence, and learning styles, and the process of being creative.
Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media Presents research and facts on the media's interaction with children and adolescents. Covers the traditional and electronic media and their controversial impact on children and adolescents.
Magill's Cinema Annual - Humanities Reference PN 1993.45 .M34x Each issue covers films released the previous year as well as some films of the past
International Dictionary of Film and Filmmakers Written for film students and film buffs alike, this set features thorough coverage of legendary films, actors, actresses, directors, writers, and other production artists through detailed essays and commentary by experts. Entries include biographies, filmographies, comprehensive credits, production information, major awards, and bibliographies.

Film Index International (Film Indexes Online) This link opens in a new window FII is produced in collaboration with the British Film Institute. This database indexes over 115,000 films, 57,000 film personalities from over 170 countries. It also includes coverage of international film awards and prizes, searchable plot summaries, and full cast and crew lists. FII can be searched in conjunction with AFI Catalog through Film Indexes Online.
American Film Institute Catalog This link opens in a new window AFI Catalog is the premier national filmography and is produced in collaboration with the American Film Institute. It documents more than 46,000 American films from 1893-1958 and 1961-1970. Extensive plot summaries, full production and cast information, and notes are provide. AFI Catalog can be searched in conjunction with Film Index International through Film Indexes Online.

Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Online This link opens in a new window The OED Online contains the complete searchable text of over half a million words from the 20 volume 2nd Edition. The dictionary traces the usage of words through 2.5 million quotations, offers etymological analysis, listings of variant spellings, and shows pronunciations. 1000 new and revised entries added quarterly. NOTE: The reference to the hard copy of the Oxford English Dictionary is HUM REF PE 1625 .O87
Oxford Language Dictionaries Online This link opens in a new window Oxford Language Dictionaries Online (OLDO) features fully searchable, completely comprehensive bilingual dictionaries, and unique study materials that provide extra help with learning and using an expanding range of languages. Offering over 4 million words, phrases and translations in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. OLDO also features native speaker audio pronunciation - allowing you to hear how words actually sound. More than just a dictionary, OLDO offers a complete suite of language learning support materials for users of all levels: click-through verb tables and pronunciation charts, explanations of grammatical terms, hundreds sample letters, CVs and resumes, notes on life and culture, guidance on grammar and idiomatic usage, extensive links to other sites for further research, and more.

Dictionary of Literary Symbols
A Glossary of Literary Terms - HUM REF PN 41 .A184 2009
Glossary of Poetic Terms
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From Poetry Foundation. Definitions of poetic terms along with examples in poetry.

Dictionary of Art Historians

Dictionary of Literary Biography (Gale) This link opens in a new window Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online provides more than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. DLB Complete Online includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series.

Encyclopedia of World Biography

Literature Resource Center (LRC)(Gale) This link opens in a new window Provides access to biographies, bibliographies, critical analysis, and Web resources of authors from every age and literary discipline. Covers more than 90,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists and other writers, with in-depth coverage of 2,000 of the most-studied authors. Search by Author Name, Title, Genre, Literary Movement or Literary Themes.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) This link opens in a new window Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) contains 55,000 biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the year 2002.
World Biographical Information System (WBIS) Online This link opens in a new window World Biographical Information System Online is the most comprehensive biographical database available, providing short biographical information on 4 million people with a historical coverage from the 4th century BC to the present. It contains 3.85 million digital facsimile articles from more than 3,700 reference works, including biographical information on 2.3 million people worldwide. Access to the digitized full-text articles at BYU is limited at present to America, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), and Scandinavia.

Literary Criticism

Literature Criticism Online LCO (Gale) This link opens in a new window Essays in literary criticism that represent a range of modern and historical views on authors and their works across regions, eras and genres.
MLA International Bibliography (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window MLA International Bibliography offers a detailed bibliography of journal articles, books, book chapters and dissertations about literature, language, linguistics and folklore. Produced by the Modern Language Association (MLA), the electronic version of the bibliography dates back to the 1920s and contains over 1.8 million citations from more than 4,400 journals & series, and 1,000 book publishers.
Historic Literary Criticism (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Historic Literary Criticism is a collection of over 20,000 historical contemporary reviews, essays and commentary related to more than 500 influential authors from the 17th to the early 20th century. The content comes from a range of sources such as contemporary periodicals as well as published and unpublished letters. The cornerstone of the collection comes from the renowned Critical Heritage series from Routledge.

Timelines & Chronologies

Timelines of the Arts and Literature - Humanities Reference NX 447.5 .B76 1994
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
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Chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world, as illustrated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. It extends from prehistory to the present day, and continues to expand in scope and depth.
Smarthistory Free multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement for the traditional art history textbook. Created by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, features images, podcasts, videos, text, etc. Search by time period, style, artist, or theme.
Bloomsbury Global dress and Fashion Interactive Timeline
Chronologies of the Ancient World : Names, Dates and Dynasties Brill's New Pauly Supplement #1