RUSA Machine-Assisted Reference Section
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Welcome to the ninth annual Best Free Reference Web Sites List. In 1998, the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) appointed an ad hoc task force to develop a method of recognizing outstanding reference Web sites. The task force became a formal committee at the 2001 ALA Annual Conference. This is the ninth Best Free Reference Web Sites list produced by the group. Past lists and all future lists will be published in each year’s fall issue of Reference & User Services Quarterly. The annotations also are included in electronic resource records for the sites in the Online Catalog of the Library of Congress. An online version of the list appears on the MARS publications portion of the RUSA Web site along with a new combined index to sites included in previous lists. A subject index is being created; links to it will be included on the Web page in the future.
Because the Web is a changing world, readers should note that the Web sites were as annotated on the date the member reviewed the site. Reviewing previous lists is not part of the charge of the committee.
Once again, the committee considered sites in all subject areas, selecting only free sites that meet the definition of ready reference and that would be of value in all types of libraries. The committee has established the following criteria for nominated Web sites:
- quality, depth, and usefulness of content
- clear statement of the content, including any intended biases
- appropriateness for the intended audience
- appropriate links to other Web sites
- attention to detail; absence of grammatical errors and so on
- ready reference; usefulness for reference to answer specific questions
- may also give a broad perspective of a particular subject
- uniqueness of content
- uniqueness of the resouArce as a whole; creativity
- useful in a variety of reference settings
- currency of content
- links are kept up to date
- update frequency is appropriate for the subject matter
- authority of producer
- authority and legality clearly stated
- if not easily recognizable, an explanation of the history and purpose of the organization
- ease of use
- user-friendly design; easy navigation
- good search engine
- attractive; graphic design makes a good impression on the user
- easy output (printing or downloading)
- customer service
- contacts are responsive; e-mail addresses are correct
- authority of producer
- authority and legality clearly stated
- if not recognizable, an explanation of the history and purpose of the organization
- efficiency (note: efficiency is affected by the user’s method of Internet access–dial-up access, for example, will no doubt be less efficient for all sites–and evaluators endeavored to take such differences into account)
- graphics load quickly or are not so intensive as to seriously degrade access
- any required plug-ins are available for easy download
- reliable, speedy server; information is there when needed
- appropriate use of the Web as a medium
- components are well integrated (audio, video, text, and so on)
- useful information is still available, even if the user does not have all the plug-ins and media components
- effective use of Java, other newer technologies
As in previous years, the committee worked virtually, and the process went smoothly, especially as many of the members were returning for a third or fourth year. Each member of the committee nominated five to seven sites using the criteria specified above. The committee members then reviewed the annotated nominations and voted for their favorite sites. Previous years’ winners were not eligible for this year’s list, but a site that did not win previously could be re-nominated.
Selected sites were notified electronically with a recognition certificate. They are also invited to use the MARS logo and link to the online version of this list, located on the MARS publications portion of the RUSA Web page.
>American Hospital Directory, www.ahd.com
Although this site provides a for-fee service for subscribers, it also features an easy-to-use, free hospital look-up tool that links to hospital Web sites and basic statistics. Users also can drill down by state to see statistics that have been gathered from both proprietary and public sources, including Medicare cost reports and claims data. Nonsubscribers can view data on total numbers of beds, discharges, patient days, and gross patient revenue. Users who are researching the healthcare industry or who are themselves healthcare professionals or administrators may require more detailed information that only comes with a subscription. The American Hospital Directory is a well-designed, reliable source for the general public and users who may otherwise not have much luck locating hospital information.
Author/publisher: American Hospital Directory, Inc.
Free/fee-based: Free, with more data access for subscribers
Date reviewed: Feb. 28, 2007
The Bill of Rights Institute, www.billofrightsinstitute.org
The Bill of Rights Institute is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to teach youth “about the words and ideas of America’s Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.” The institute includes a great deal of free information on its Web site. Teachers (and others) can sign up for newsletters with links to lessons on the topics of Bill of Rights in the news, First Amendment in history, and landmark Supreme Court cases. There also is a link to their Web site for high school students, which includes video and audio clips and a study guide to the Constitution. This site is an excellent resource for both teachers and high school students.
Author/publisher: Bill Of Rights Institute
Free/fee-based: Free (primarily)
Date reviewed: Feb. 24, 2007
Doing Business, www.doingbusiness.org
This free Internet site, first launched in 2003, is a highly successful resource for “comparing business regulations.” In-depth data and reports about and rankings of regulations relevant to doing business are supplied for 175 economies, along with tools for comparative analyses. The rankings, data, and reports are derived from quantifiable data that reflect the costs, number of requirements, and time involved in specific business functions and operations. Policymakers, the aid community, and researchers as well as business executives and foreign investors can use this resource effectively.
Author/publisher: World Bank
Free/fee-based: Free
Date reviewed: Mar. 4, 2007
Export.gov, Helping U.S. Companies Export, www.export.gov
Produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Export.gov “brings together resources from across the U.S. Government to assist American business in international sales.” In this era of globalization, the benefits of exporting are enormous, and this Web resource assists with identifying important exporting opportunities and is an indispensable tool for anyone doing business abroad. The Web site provides trade leads and access to the U.S. Commercial Service’s extensive Market Research Library database, which furnishes such documents as country commercial guides, industry overviews, and market updates. Access to most of the materials is free, but requires registration.
Author/publisher: U.S. International Trade Administration
Free/fee-based: Free
Date reviewed: Mar. 4, 2007
Gate2Home, www.gate2home.com
Libraries with diverse user populations will find Gate2Home (a multilingual keyboard emulator) to be an important reference tool and desktop gadget. Created by Israeli Web designer Ilan Bar-Magen to circumvent the administrative or system settings that can plague public computing environments, Gate2Home gives users instant access to the keyboards of sixty-five languages. Keyboards include all major East and South Asian languages, as well as Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Roman, and Cyrillic key sets with various diacritics. Originally designed with travelers in mind, this Web tool is equally useful to language learners and immigrant populations.
Author/publisher: Ilan Bar-Magen, Gate2Home.com
Free/fee-based: Free
Date reviewed: Feb. 12, 2007
Genome.gov, National Human Genome Research Institute, www.genome.gov
This Internet resource, first launched in 1997, is a valuable resource for genomics research. The institute’s mission is to “encompass a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease.” The site supplies information about consumer health and counseling information for genetic disorders as well as in-depth information for medical and scientific professionals, such as grants, policies and ethics, educational resources, and careers and training information.
Author/publisher: National Institutes of Health
Free/fee-based: Free
Date reviewed: Mar. 4, 2007
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