Encyclopedia articles, written by subject authorities, provide information useful for gaining a basic understanding of a topic and getting started with a research project. Typically, a bibliography, or list, of "classic" books and articles for further research follows each article. Students will find also these encyclopedias useful for brushing up on topics related to their central area of investigation. [Note: See the Research Guides for sources that deal with narrower subfields within the discipline.]

Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Edited by David E. Alexander and Rhodes W. Fairbridge.  Dordrecht ; Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1999.

A multidisciplinary reference work which presents both an overview and detailed information on environmental topics.  Cross references and bibliographies are included for further study.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] GE10 .E53 1999

 

Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering. Edited by James R. Pfafflin and Edward N. Ziegler. Amsterdam, The Netherlands : Gordon and Breach Publishers, 1998.

Presents information in the diverse field of environmental science in article format. Each entry includes a bibliography for further reference.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] TD9 .E50 1998 -- v.1-2

Encyclopedia of global environmental change. Editor-in-chief, Ted Munn. Chichester ; New York : Wiley, c2002.

v. 1. The earth system : physical and chemical dimensions of global environmental change; v. 2. The earth system : biological and ecological dimensions of global environmental change; v. 3. Causes and consequences of global environmental change; v. 4. Responding to global environmental change; v. 5. Social and economic dimensions of global environmental change.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] GE149 .E443 2002  -- v.1-5

Macmillan Encyclopedia of the Environment. Edited by Stephen R. Kellert. New York : Macmillan Library Reference USA ; London : Simon & Schuster and Prentice Hall International, 1997.

"Provides basic information about such topics as minerals, energy resources, pollution, soils and erosion, wildlife and extinction, agriculture, the ocean, wilderness, hazardous wastes, population, environmental laws, ecology, and evolution."

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] GE10 .M33 1997 -- v.1-6
 

These specialized subject dictionaries define the terminology in the discipline. See the Research Guides for sources that deal with narrower subfields within the discipline.

The Concise Oxford dictionary of ecology. edited by Michaael Allaby. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1994. The 1998 edition is available online via the Oxford Reference Online Earth and Environmental Sciences collection. (See below for details)

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] QH540.4 .C66 1994 

Allaby, Michael
A Dictionary of the environment. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., c1978.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] QH540.4 A44

Environmental Encyclopedia. Detroit. Gale Research, 1994.

A one volume reference of terms, concepts, and people involved in environmental studies. Many of the articles contain cross references and bibliographies for further study.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] GE10 .E57 1994

Oxford Reference Online: Earth and Environmental Sciences. [ Online ] Oxford University Press, 2002. Available: http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/SUBJECT_SEARCH.html?subject=s5 (Accessed 1 May 2003).

A searchable and browsable collection of dictionaries from Oxford University Press including: A Dictionary of Earth Sciences, A Dictionary of Ecology, A Dictionary of Geography, and A Dictionary of Weather.

The library subscribes to the ASI Microfiche Library for federal government publications containing statistical data. Every document indexed in ASI since 1979 is available in this library. In addition to the ASI Microfiche Library, the library also subscribes to the SRI Microfiche Library, containing most but not every nonfederal statistical item indexed in SRI. A third collection, Index to International Statistics, deals with statistical material from international, intergovernmental bodies, completes the package. Online access to the database (and to some of the documents themselves) is available through the Statistical Universe component of Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe.

Statistical Record of the Environment. Edited by Arsen J. Darnay. Detroit : Gale Research, c1992.

This reference source contains over 800 graphs, charts, and tables covering such topics as recycling, nuclear power, pollution, hazardous substances, and endangered species.

CALL NUMBER: Ref TD180 .D37 1992

Directories identify the professionals, institutions, organizations, and associations within a discipline.

American Environmental Leaders: From Colonial Times to the Present. By Anne Becher with Kyle McClure, Rachel White Scheuering, and Julia Willis. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, 2000.

This resource includes over 300 biographies of individuals whose lives have been concerned with dealing with the controversial issues of the environment. People from all walks of life are covered including scientists, poets, presidents, and painters.

CALL NUMBER: [Ref] GE55 .B43 2000 -- v.1-2

Style manuals and citations guides illustrate how to cite book, journal, and other research sources, including materials found in online databases and on the Web according to the conventional format of a particular discipline. Subject-specific citation guides are listed below, and a complete listing appears at Reference Sites: Citation Guides and Style Manuals.

Online! A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources. [ Online ] Andrew Harnack and Eugene Kleppinger. Available: http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/ (Accessed 24 March 2002).

Chapter 8: Using CBE Style to Cite and Document Sources illustrates how to cite Internet resources in a biology research paper.

Books in Schaffer Library are arranged by Library of Congress Class number. Class numbers are searchable in the Web Catalog and browsable in the Stacks and Reference Collection.

TD 169 - 171.5	Environmental protection
TD 172 - 196	Environmental pollution
TD 878 - 894	Special types of pollution, including soil, air, noise
GE 1 - 199	Environmental sciences
GE 42	Environmental ethics
GE 70 - 90	Environmental education. Study and teaching. Research
GE 140 - 160	Environmental conditions. Environmental quality. Environmental indicators. Environmental degradation.

The New Acquisitions List  (residing on the Library Catalogs page) is generated on the 10th of each month and includes items added to the library's collections for the previous calendar month.

Microfiche copies of Senior honors theses are maintained in the Library. For details on the Library's theses holdings, formats, access, photocopying restrictions, and searching for a thesis in the online catalog, see How to Find a Union College Thesis.

Research Guides supplement the broader Research by Subject pages by focusing on the print and electronic resources that are most useful for a course specific research assignment. For faculty, the Research Guides provide structured access to the Library and Internet resources relevant to their own work or in advising students on their research projects. For students working independently, it serves as a reminder of services and materials offered within the library while at the same time providing a gateway for information available from remote sites.

Faculty using Blackboard are encouraged to incorporate links to Library resources (specifically the Research by Subject pages and the appropriate course-related Research Guides) into the Blackboard course pages. Your Departmental Liaison or Bibliographic Instruction Contacts can assist you.

Schaffer Library provides to range of general and subject specific electronic databases. These databases offer full-text access to articles or library holdings information.

The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks
http://www.protectadks.org/
The website for the Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks whose vision is "to provide a leadership role as an advocate for the continued success of the New York State Forest Preserve and the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, acting as a catalyst and forum for interaction and problem-solving by diverse interests."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/
Homepage for the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York State containing links to the services and programs of the department as well as a subject index to the entire site.

The Sierra Club
http://www.sierraclub.org/
Homepage for The Sierra Club, "America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization". Features articles about current environmental issues in the news and politics.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov
The official website for the EPA containing information on current environmental topics.  Also included are many links to additional environmental resources as well as a list of links to key topics such as ecosystems, environmental management, pesticides, and pollution prevention.

White House Council on Environmental Quality
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/
Homepage for the Council on Environmental Quality, whose job it is to "coordinate federal environmental efforts and work closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives".  The site contains links to many governmental agencies and federal projects dealing with environmental issues.

Tools for tracking recently published articles.

The New York Times: News by Subject: Agriculture and Conservation ; Environmental Studies. [ Online ] The New York Times. Available: http://college.nytimes.com/guests/directory/Agriculture_&_Conservation/Environmental Studies.
Provides full text access to environmental studies articles from The New York Times .

ProQuest Topic Finder: Critical Issues: Environment:
Hierarchical access to recently published articles dealing with environmental issues.

Departmental Liaison: Lorie Wies
For information on resources, services, collections, and book ordering for your department

Bibliographic Instruction Contact
For information on scheduling course related instruction session or faculty training session

Department Home Page

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