Desk Set

Ready Reference for the Digital Librarian

Yearbooks:

Britannica book of the year 2011. (2011). Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica.
Published yearly by Encyclopedia Britannica, the Britannica Book of the Year details the significant economic, social, political, and cultural issues that occurred throughout the year in question. As a ready reference source, it is reliable as well as exhaustive in its coverage. Useful for those who are seeking a more profound summary of the year's events.

The CIA World Factbook. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2011, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook
Since its publication in 1981, The CIA World Factbook has provided facts, statistics, maps, and other pertinent intelligence on most countries throughout the world—the number of which is currently at 267. Although it was originally published in book form, now much of its information is available online through the Central Intelligence Agency's website. A wonderful teaching tool for students.

Europa World Plus. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2011, from http://www.europaworld.com/pub/
A recently developed database which has incorporated both The Europa World Year Book and the nine Europa Regional Surveys of the World into a digital format. Available via subscription—fee provided upon request. Through the database, the subscriber is able to access interactive maps, flags, graphs, and other features, as well as economic, political, and cultural data concerning countries from around the world. Additionally, any information pertaining to current world events is regularly updated, an impartial emphasis on coverage. A great source for information on the current political/socio-economical conditions of many of the world's countries.

The Statesman's Yearbook (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2011, from http://www.statesmansyearbook.com/
Since its first publication in 1864, The Statesman's Yearbook has provided readers with information essential to those involved with foreign affairs. Available solely in print for many years, The Statesman's Yearbook debuted on the web in 2002 in an effort to broaden its scope in the face of economical, cultural, and political globalization and rapid technological developments. Users may access detailed accounts of individual countries as well as world events, along with 1,500 web links for more extensive research. Furthermore, the website has gained a new feature in which significant socially political anniversaries are discussed, key natural disasters are illustrated through use of a timeline, and essays are published on profound events shaping modern history.