Best Reference 2001: Web Sites

By Cynthia Etkin & Brian Coutts -- Library Journal, 4/15/2002

On September 11, 2001 some people turned to the net to find out what was going on but were soon frustrated when news sites couldn’t handle the traffic or update their content fast enough. Most relied upon television for coverage of the attacks for several days, but the World Wide Web has been the place to keep current and find more in-depth coverage than traditional broadcast news outlets provide. While we could’ve devoted most of the column to September 11 sources, we’ve selected only a few, given the richness of other worthy sites out there.

September 11 attacks

Most major news organizations have special sites that continue to cover September 11 and America’s response. September 11 News.com (www.september11news.com) provides the most comprehensive archive of U.S. and international newspaper coverage of the attacks as reported on their front pages and for the next 111 days. For scholarly analysis and teaching materials for September 11 events that aren’t available at other sites see After September 11: Perspectives from the Social Sciences (www.ssrc.org/sept11). The best official government site to cover the U.S. response is DefendAMERICA (www.defendamerica.mil), with links to several agencies.

AgNIC: Agriculture Network Information Center
www.agnic.org

Browse or search for agriculture-related topics from agribusiness to nutrition to urban forestry. Reference service is provided by the National Agricultural Library, land grant institutions, and other agricultural organizations.

American Family Immigration History Center
www.ellisislandrecords.org

This archive offers a database of 22 million people who passed though Ellis Island and entered the Port of New York between 1892 and 1924. Since its launch in spring 2001, it’s been one of the busiest sites on the web. You can search for passengers without registering, but free registration allows you to do more.

Avalon Project at the Yale Law School
www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm

This site mounts digital documents relevant to the fields of history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government. Conveniently arranged in categories from pre-18th Century documents to the 21st Century, here you can find the text of the "Laws of Kings" 753–510 B.C.E. from ancient Rome, the Magna Carta from 1215 C.E., or the latest executive order about the "attack on America."

Bartleby.com: Great Books Online
www.bartleby.com

Taking its name from Herman Melville's classic short story, "Bartleby the Scrivener," this site offers free access to literary classics, nonfiction, and reference sources. The Harvard Classics and Shelf of Fiction Collection features Æsop's Fables, among others, and the Oxford Shakespeare on the Web brings you the Bard. This site is enormously comprehensive; the cross-publication search is invaluable.

CETACEA
www.cetacea.org/index.htm

Heather Ward, who works for the UK’s Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, has created this comprehensive, user-friendly site about cetaceans: whales, dolphins, and porpoises. For each species she includes key information, e.g., classification, local names, habitat, behavior, estimated current population, and more. Updated findings are regularly added. There’s even a list of the best whale-watching locations.

History in the News: The Middle East
www.albany.edu/history/middle-east/index.html

This is an excellent place to monitor recent events in the Middle East or to gain a better appreciation for its diverse cultures. Maintained by the History Department at SUNY-Albany, this site—put together in the wake of September 11—includes links to general resources—history, culture, society, religion, economics, politics, and news and media—and regional resources arranged by country.

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
www.utm.edu/research/iep

Looking for views on ethical questions or wonder about the philosophy behind war? Search, browse by topic, or browse the time line at the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Articles geared to high school level and above are written by credentialed philosophers and reviewed by site editors.

Kids Count
www.kidscount.org

Start your search for statistical data on children’s well-being at the Anne E. Casey Foundation project. Information and rankings are available for each state, selected large cities, and the nation. Use maps and graphs at the site or customize a report via the interactive database.

National Atlas of the United States of America
www.nationalatlas.gov

Need a map of county boundaries, precipitation levels, invasive species, or Superfund sites? The interactive National Atlas web site allows users to choose from existing maps or make their own by incorporating geospatial data from numerous government agencies.

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
www.baseballhalloffame.org

While the core of the site relates to the 254 members of the Hall of Fame (complete with photos and biographies), you can also learn about each current major league team. The Research Library includes the ABNER Library Catalog and selected subject bibliographies.

PovertyNet
www.worldbank.org/poverty/index.htm

Sponsored by the World Bank, PovertyNet offers comprehensive coverage, including measurements, trends, and strategies to reduce poverty. Special sections address the intersection of poverty with culture and with health. Use the Poverty Monitoring Database or browse the online library.

SBA: Small Business Administration Home Page
www.sba.gov

For all those questions about how to write a business plan, start and finance a business, and be successful, turn to the Small Business Administration. You can also locate and link to the nearest SBA office.