ARBA Enhancements

Dear ARBAonline Subscribers:

More than 200 reviews have just been added for the December 2004 update of ARBAonline. This month you'll find critical reviews of the most recently released print and online editions of reference materials in the areas of general reference, social sciences, humanities, and science and technology. Unlike many other review sources, ARBAonline aims to be as comprehensive as possible and features lengthier reviews that offer both positive and negative aspects of the work under review. Because ARBAonline has a roster of over 400 academic, public, and school librarians who are knowledgeable about the needs of their patrons, their recommendations for or against the purchase of a resource can help you keep your collection current and save you money in the process.

This month ARBAonline has added reviews of the following resources:

American Home Front in World War II Reference Library (U*X*L/Gale Group) Cybercrime: A Reference Handbook (ABC-CLIO) Dictionary of Gene Technology, 3d edition (John Wiley) Encyclopedia of Applied Developmental Science (Sage Publications) Encyclopedia of Protestantism (Routledge) Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition (Timber Press) On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier II (Scarecrow Press) Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (Oxford University Press) Public Library Catalog: Guide to Reference Books and Adult Nonfiction (H. W. Wilson) The Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts (Cleis Press) Researching National Security and Intelligence (CQ Press) Western Philosophy: An Illustrated Guide (Oxford University Press)

We are currently working on reviews of the following resources for our January 2005 update:

Database of the California Academy of Sciences, Department of Anthropology Collection (http://www.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/acollection.html) Encyclopedia of Animals (University of California Press) Encyclopedia of Catholic Literature (Greenwood Press) Encyclopedia of Evaluation (Sage Publications) Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity (Macmillan Reference) Essential Shakespeare Handbook (DK Publishing) France: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present (Facts on File) Oxford Companion to the Mind (Oxford University Press) Riverside Dictionary of Biography (Houghton Mifflin)

As ARBAonline strives to bring you the most up-to-date information on reference materials available, we continue to rely on your comments and suggestions in order to make this resource as valuable and user-friendly as possible. We look forward to you feedback! The ARBA staff would like to wish you all a happy-and healthy-and holiday season!

Happy Holidays!

Shannon Hysell, Associate Editor