Credo Reference Blog

The Credo Content Acquisition Team would like your help. We regularly evaluate our set of subject encyclopedias and subject dictionaries subject-by-subject in order to develop wish lists for sub-areas where we seek to strengthen Credo. This month we are surveying the following subjects looking for ways to strengthen the Credo General Reference collection:

• Education
• Economics
• Visual and Media Arts
• Business
• Environmental Studies

We are looking for subject librarians in each of these fields who would be willing to fill out a brief survey to help us rank the importance of various sub-areas within each of these fields.

An example of a possible question is: “In Education, what is the relative importance of having reference sources covering each of the following: home schooling, rural schools, urban schools, etc.”

Each survey should take no more that 20-30 minutes to fill out. If you are interested in helping us better understand these five subjects, please e-mail us at:  contentacquisitionATCredoReferenceDOTcom and include in the message the field or fields for which you are willing to provide input.

Duart da Silva addressing the assembled crowd

There was a terrific, lively atmosphere at the Credo reception to celebrate the inclusion of the National Gallery images in the Credo Reference collection.

Perhaps the secret was the brevity of the speeches allowing our guests maximum time for mingling and enjoying the excellent food and drink:

Westminster Councilor Edward Argar lent an appropriate touch of gravitas to the proceedings and set the pace and a light-hearted tone with his brief remarks.

Louise Rice of the National Gallery gave us a witty whistle stop tour of the Gallery’s contents and its history, egalitarian from its beginning in the early C19 to today’s free public access to one of the world’s greatest collections of Western European painting.

Credo’s John Dove took up the baton and showed how the Gallery’s images would enhance the Credo search results, and Anne Kail crossed the finishing line with a preview of Credo’s exciting new Topic Pages, set to launch later in the year.

Or perhaps the lively hubbub of conversation that then followed over those excellent canapés and wine was down to the eclectic mix of Credo subscribers who came along – university and public librarians rubbed shoulders with newspapers, art editors, art publishers and professional institutions.

The inclusion of this prestigious collection is generating some excitement: “Credo’s Got My Attention, Again!” (From a recent Library Journal eViews column http://www.libraryjournal.com/blog/1100000310/post/730052273.html)

The Westminster Reference Library is right next door to the National Gallery so we were delighted when they offered to host our reception.  Our thanks go to the team who were there on the night and who all ensured that everything went so smoothly and enjoyably: Rossella Black, Alexandra Buccholz, Peter Collins, Owen Grey and last but by absolutely no means least, Duart da Silva who was a superb ‘master of ceremonies’ (pictured above).

View of the National Gallery

Last week, we added 5 new titles to the Credo Reference General Reference Collection. Make sure you check out these new titles and add the MARC records to your catalog.

Encyclopedia of Women’s Autobiography, from ABC Clio. Women have been writing about their lives for hundreds of years, and their autobiographical works are a record of the eras and cultures in which they lived. Through alphabetically arranged entries (from Jane Addams through Zami: A New Spelling of My Name), written by more than 130 expert contributors, this encyclopedia overviews women autobiographers and autobiography from the Middle Ages to the present. Entries discuss individual writers, major works, national and ethnic autobiographical traditions, particular autobiographical genres, and special terms, issues, and themes related to women’s autobiography from around the world. Entries cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography.

Women have been writing autobiographical works for centuries, and these texts are a valuable source of information about their lives and times. They reflect the personal experiences of their authors as well as the larger cultural, political, and intellectual contexts in which they lived and wrote. Multicultural in scope and the first work of its kind, this encyclopedia overviews more than 400 years of autobiographical writing by women.

Power and Succession in Arab Monarchies, from Lynne Rienner Publications. Power and Succession in Arab Monarchies provides an essential compendium of information regarding the politically charged issue of succession in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Based on scarce source material and a wide range of inside information, this exhaustive reference:

* traces the rise of each ruling family
* outlines key constitutional developments
* provides details on current rulers and their approaches to succession
* discusses potential contenders to power

The appendixes supply a chronological list of rulers for each monarchy, as well as the text of decrees, private letters, and constitutional provisions related to succession.

The Praeger Handbook of Latino Education in the U.S., from ABC Clio. Latinos in the United States have fought hard to attain equality, especially in the field of education. The Praeger Handbook of Latino Education in the U.S. focuses on this fight for equal educational access and represents a significant addition to American educational literature. The contributors to this volume reveal that many Latino children still face challenges that were present many decades ago. In addition to such obstacles as cultural conflicts and racism, they also face teachers, curricula, and assessments that are not always respectful to their backgrounds.

Educators, parents, policy makers, and communities across the country will find this work a goldmine of detailed historical and current information.

Encyclopedia of Women’s Health, from Springer. Women’s health is a multifaceted subject, and the up-to-date reference book requires considerable social awareness in addition to wide-ranging clinical knowledge. The Encyclopedia of Women’s Health meets this challenge by bringing together an impressive array of experts on topics from reproductive issues to gastrointestinal illnesses. Informed by current health issues and health-care realities, the Encyclopedia offers readers practical information, historical aspects, and future directions, all meticulously researched and conveniently presented.

Key features include:

* Accessible A-to-Z coverage, including AIDS, birth control, hormone replacement therapy, teen pregnancy, sexual harassment, violence, body image, access to health care and more.
* Entries spanning the medical, psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, and legal arenas.
* Medical topics explored from both conventional and complementary perspectives.
* Cross-cultural data illustrate issues as they apply to minority women, rural women, the elderly, and other underserved populations.
* Special chapters on disparities in women’s health and health care.
* Historical overview of women in health – as patients and as professionals.
* Suggested readings and resource lists.

Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender, from Springer. The central aim of this encyclopedia is to give the reader a comparative perspective on issues involving conceptions of gender, gender differences, gender roles, relationships between the genders, and sexuality.

The combination of topical overviews and varying cultural portraits is what makes this encyclopedia a unique reference work for students, researchers and teachers interested in gender studies and cross-cultural variation in sex and gender.

We’ve recently added 9 new titles to the Credo Reference General Collection. These titles all fall into either the Psychology or Holidays subject areas. Make sure to check them out!

The Edinburgh International Encyclopaedia of Psychoanalysis (Edinburgh University Press). The Encyclopaedia portrays psychoanalysis as a single discipline greater than any individual author including its founder, Freud. Entries are alphabetically arranged and fully cross-referenced, many with suggestions for further reading. Most importantly the book features both contributors and entries reflecting the various disciplines that have contributed to the development of psychoanalysis and a critical understanding thereof. It includes topics on psychoanalysis from psychoanalysts themselves, as well as topics that are best handled by psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, philosophers, medical researchers, historians, literary critics, anthropologists and linguists.

The Encyclopaedia caters for readers who require knowledge at a glance as well as those seeking a more detailed account. It includes numerous illuminating essays by distinguished contributors including: Howard Bacal, Hazel Barnes, Charles Brenner, Marcia Cavell, Morris Eagle, Peter Fonagy, Michael Eigen, James Grotstein, Thomas Ogden, Paul Roazen, Murray Stein, Allan Schore, Robert Stolorow and Robert Wallerstein.

The Edinburgh International Encyclopaedia of Psychoanalysis will stand as a major reference work for teaching, learning and researching psychoanalysis for the foreseeable future.

Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships (Cambridge University Press). The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships serves as a benchmark of the current state of scholarship in this dynamic field, synthesizing the extant theoretical and empirical literature, tracing its historical roots, and making recommendations for future directions. The volume addresses a broad range of established and emerging topics, including theoretical and methodological issues that influence the study of personal relationships; research and theory on relationship development; the nature and functions of personal relationships across the life span; individual differences and their influences on relationships; relationship processes such as cognition, emotion, and communication; relational qualities such as satisfaction and commitment; environmental influences on personal relationships; and maintenance and repair of relationships. The authors are experts from a variety of disciplines, including several subfields of psychology, communication, family studies, and sociology, who have made major contributions to the understanding of relationships.

The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Economic Behavior (Cambridge University Press). Psychologists have been observing and interpreting economic behaviour for at least fifty years, and the last decade, in particular, has seen an escalated interest in the interface between psychology and economics. The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Economic Behaviour is a valuable reference resource dedicated to improving our understanding of the economic mind and economic behaviour. Employing empirical methods – including laboratory experiments, field experiments, observations, questionnaires and interviews – the Handbook covers aspects of theory and method, financial and consumer behaviour, the environment and biological perspectives. With contributions from distinguished scholars from a variety of countries and backgrounds, the Handbook is an important step forward in the improvement of communications between the disciplines of psychology and economics. It will appeal to academic researchers and graduates in economic psychology and behavioural economics.

Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance (Cambridge University Press). This is the first handbook where the world’s foremost ‘experts on expertise’ review our scientific knowledge on expertise and expert performance and how experts may differ from non-experts in terms of their development, training, reasoning, knowledge, social support, and innate talent. Methods are described for the study of experts’ knowledge and their performance of representative tasks from their domain of expertise. The development of expertise is also studied by retrospective interviews and the daily lives of experts are studied with diaries. In 15 major domains of expertise, the leading researchers summarize our knowledge on the structure and acquisition of expert skill and knowledge and discuss future prospects. General issues that cut across most domains are reviewed in chapters on various aspects of expertise such as general and practical intelligence, differences in brain activity, self-regulated learning, deliberate practice, aging, knowledge management, and creativity.

Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness (Cambridge University Press). The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness is the first of its kind in the field, and its appearance marks a unique time in the history of intellectual inquiry on the topic. After decades during which consciousness was considered beyond the scope of legitimate scientific investigation, consciousness re-emerged as a popular focus of research towards the end of the last century, and it has remained so for nearly 20 years. There are now so many different lines of investigation on consciousness that the time has come when the field may finally benefit from a book that pulls them together and, by juxtaposing them, provides a comprehensive survey of this exciting field. An authoritative desk reference, which will also be suitable as an advanced textbook.

Key Thinkers in Psychology (Sage UK). The 20th Century was rich in attempts to characterize and explain psychological phenomena and so to understand the human mind. These projects were undertaken by a huge and diverse list of characters from B F Skinner to James Gibson, from Gordon Allport to Hans Eysenck. It is important for every student of psychology, wherever they might be in the world, to understand the classic scholars, the classic studies, and the subsequent generations of people and ideas that have come to define the broad discipline that is ‘psychology’.

This book achieves this in the most accessible and engaging manner possible. Rom Harré presents a unique textbook orientation, combining the biopic with the significance of the major protagonists of the last century, organized by ’schools of thought’, yet with cross-references throughout the text.

The Cambridge Handbook of Sociocultural Psychology (Cambridge University Press). An international overview of the state of our contemporary knowledge in sociocultural psychology – as a discipline located at the crossroads between the natural and social sciences and the humanities. Since the 1980s, the field of psychology has encountered the growth of a new discipline – cultural psychology – that has built new connections between psychology, sociology, anthropology, history and semiotics. The handbook integrates contributions of sociocultural specialists from fifteen countries, all tied together by the unifying focus on the role of sign systems in human relations with the environment. It emphasizes theoretical and methodological discussions on the cultural nature of human psychological phenomena, moving on to show how meaning is a natural feature of action and how it eventually produces conventional symbols for communication. Such symbols shape individual experiences and create the conditions for consciousness and the self to emerge; turn social norms into ethics; and set history into motion.

Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine (Cambridge University Press). Health psychology is a rapidly expanding discipline at the interface of psychology and clinical medicine. This new edition is fully reworked and revised, offering an entirely up-to-date, comprehensive, accessible, one-stop resource for clinical psychologists, mental health professionals and specialists in health-related matters. There are two new editors: Susan Ayers from the University of Sussex and Kenneth Wallston from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The prestigious editorial team and their international, interdisciplinary cast of authors have reconceptualised their much-acclaimed handbook. The book is now in two parts: part I covers psychological aspects of health and illness, assessments, interventions and healthcare practice. Part II covers medical matters listed in alphabetical order. Among the many new topics added are: diet and health, ethnicity and health, clinical interviewing, mood assessment, communicating risk, medical interviewing, diagnostic procedures, MMR, HRT, sleep disorders, and skin disorders.

Religious Holidays & Calendars (Omnigraphics, Inc.). A comprehensive, authoritative source of information about the calendars and holidays of the world’s religions. It also provides concise information about the beliefs, practices, and history of major religions.

This week, we’ve added 11 new titles, and updated 3 more! That’s 14 new and updated titles just this week alone. The new and updates titles come from publishers like Sage UK, M.E. Sharpe, Cambridge University Press, Edinburgh University Press and Elsevier Health Sciences.

New Titles:
The Social Science Jargon-Buster, from Sage UK. from Sage UK. This practical, down-to-earth dictionary helps students new to the social sciences gain a thorough understanding of the key terms, from Action research to Utilitarianism. Each entry includes a concise core definition, a more detailed explanation, and an introduction to the associated debates and controversies. In addition, the book includes a useful outline of the practical application of each term, as well as a list of key figures and recommendations for further reading.

This dictionary brings a refreshing clarity to social science discourse, making it essential reading for all students on undergraduate social science courses.

Guide to Economic Indicators, from M.E. Sharpe. Provides quick and easy access to current and reliable data on the major statistical measures of the U.S. economy, from Average Weekly Earnings to Value of the Dollar, as well as concise, jargon-free explanations of the meaning, use, and availability of macroeconomic indicators, including websites, recent trends, and current data.

Key Concepts in Urban Studies, from Sage UK.
* Clearly and concisely explains the basic ideas in the interdisciplinary field of urban studies
* Offers concise discussions of concepts ranging from community, neighbourhood, and the city to globalization, the New Urbanism, feminine space, and urban politics
* Constitutes a re-examination of the key ideas in the field
* Is illustrated throughout with international examples
* Provides an essential reference guide for all students and teachers across the urban disciplines within sociology, political science, planning and geography.

The Sage Dictionary of Cultural Studies, from Sage UK. Containing entries from Active audience to Youth culture on key concepts and theorists, the Dictionary provides an unparalled guide to the terrain of cultural studies. The definitions are authoritative, stimulating and written in an accessible style. There are up-to-date entries on new concepts and innovative approaches.

Key Concepts in Medical Sociology, from Sage UK. Written with the needs of today’s student in mind, by experienced and respected experts in the subject area, this book is an indispensable study aid and guide to comprehension.

Cross-referenced throughout, the format encourages understanding without sacrificing the level of detail and critical evaluation essential to convey the complexity of the issues.

Key Concepts in Medical Sociology:

* provides a systematic and accessible introduction to medical sociology
* begins each 1500 word entry with a definition of the concept, then examines its origins, development, strengths and weaknesses
* offers further reading guidance for independent learning
* draws on international literature and examples
* is essential reading for undergraduates in medical sociology as well as students taking courses with a medical sociology component.

Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity & Culture, from Sage UK. Race, ethnicity and culture are concepts of extreme relevance in society today, and yet continue to be interpreted in various and often contradictory ways. The Dictionary provides the historical background and etymology of a wide range of words related to these concepts, looking at discourses of race, ethnicity and culture from a broadly multicultural perspective.

This new and up-to-date dictionary contains numerous references to both European and American concepts, debates and terms that are relevant today- including words such as ‘boat people’, ‘cybernazis’, ‘ebonics’ as well as more established words and terms, such as ‘affirmative action’, ‘caste’, ‘fortress Europe’ and many more.

The editors have brought together a group of internationally prominent academics and practitioners to produce this definite reference and research tool. Contributors include anthropologists, biologists, lawyers, philosophers, sociologists and psychologists, enabling the Dictionary to bring an interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter, and a rich variety of voice and content that would otherwise be absent.

The Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity and Culture will provide a valuable tool for scholars, students, professionals and policy makers. It will help undergraduate and graduate students to use conceptual material effectively to write better essays, and will be an essential source of reference in the professional fields, particularly for social workers and teachers.

The A-Z of Social Research, from Sage UK. The A-Z is a collection of entries ranging from qualitative research techniques to statistical testing and the practicalities of using the Internet as a research tool. Alphabetically arranged in accessible, reader-friendly formats, the shortest entries are 800 words long and the longest are 3000. Most entries are approximately 1500 words in length and are supported by suggestions for further reading. The book:

* Answers the demand for a practical, fast and concise introduction to the key concepts and methods in social research
* Supplies students with impeccable information that can be used in essays, exams and research projects
* Demystifies a field that students often find daunting

This is a refreshing book on social research methods, which understands the pressures that modern students face in their work-load and seeks to supply an authoritative study guide to the field. It should fulfill a long-standing need in undergraduate research methods courses for an unpatronising, utterly reliable aid to making sense of research methods.

The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing, from Cambridge University Press. The Cambridge Handbook of Age and Ageing is a state-of-the-art guide to the current body of knowledge, theory, policy and practice relevant to age researchers and gerontologists around the world. It contains original chapters, commissioned and written by the world’s leading gerontologists from 16 countries and 5 continents. The broad focus of the book is on the behavioral and social sciences but it also includes important contributions from the biological and medical sciences. It provides comprehensive, accessible and authoritative accounts of all the key topics in the field ranging from theories of ageing, to demography, physical aspects of ageing, mental processes and ageing, nursing and health care for older people, the social context of ageing, cross cultural perspectives, relationships, quality of life, gender, and financial and policy provision. This handbook will be a must-have resource for all researchers, students and professionals with an interest in age and ageing.

Key Concepts in Work, from Sage UK.
* Clearly and concisely explains the central ideas, debates and theories of work
* Offers a broad overview of the social, political and economic contexts of work illustrated from diverse industrial societies
* Begins each entry with a snapshot definition followed by key words and guidance for further reading
* Inspires students to engage in further exploration of ideas and debates
* Provides an essential reference guide for all students in sociology, business studies, management learning about work, employment, organizations and labour markets

A Dictionary of Sociolinguistics, from Edinburgh University Press. The first comprehensive dictionary of the field of sociolinguistics, this is a valuable reference book for students and teachers of sociolinguistics, others concerned with the socially-oriented study of language and those with a professional interest in language. Entries are concise, the style is reader-friendly and numerous cross-references enable readers to follow up links to related terms and concepts.

Sociolinguistics is characterised by increasing heterogeneity, and students are faced with a proliferation of theories, concepts and terminology. This is sometimes a minefield, with similar terms used rather differently within different academic traditions. The dictionary provides a broad coverage of sociolinguistics, including macro- and micro-sociolinguistics and a range of approaches within variationist, interactional, critical and applied traditions. In explaining sociolinguistic terminology, the dictionary is able to map out the traditions and approaches that comprise sociolinguistics and will thus help readers find their way around this fascinating but complex subject.

The authors have taught and researched widely across different areas of sociolinguistics. They also draw on their experience of working in different geographical areas, including the USA, UK and Europe, Australia, southern Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Feminist Philosophies A-Z, from Edinburgh University Press. A concise alphabetical guide to the key terms, issues, theoretical approaches, projects and thinkers in feminist philosophy from Abject to Naomi Zack.

Feminist Philosophies A-Z covers contemporary material in a number of feminist approaches. It illustrates the complexity, range and interconnectedness of issues in feminist philosophy while making clear the relationship of feminist philosophy to the rest of philosophy as a discipline (epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, social philosophy and metaphysics). Entries are pithy, detailed, informative and are cross-referenced to guide the reader through the lively debates in feminism.

This volume is an indispensable resource for philosophers, students, and Women’s Studies faculties as well as anyone with an interest in feminist philosophy.

Updated Titles:

Mosby’s Handbook of Herbs & Natural Supplements, from Elsevier Health Sciences.

Balliere’s Midwives’ Dictionary, from Elsevier Health Sciences.

CIA World Factbook.

Check out these new and updated titles, and make sure to let us know what you think, or if you have suggestions for what titles we should add next!

This week, we’ve added one new title, and updated another title. The new title is the Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Locations, and the updated title is A Dictionary of Literary Symbols, from Cambridge University Press.

Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Locations is the most authoritative reference work on the history and current practice of popular music ever published. It covers nation states and is organized according to continental regions. Each discusses the history, development and current practice of popular music in cities, districts, cross-border regions, nation states and diasporic communities around the world. Includes coverage of:

* The historical, geographical, demographical, political, economic and cultural context
* Genres for which the location is known or which have been important to the development and current practice of its popular music
* Significant venues such as theaters, dance halls, clubs and bars
* The role of the industry: music publishers, record companies/labels, recording studios, radio and TV
* The role of the state and government regulatory bodies
* The teaching and research of popular music in educational institutions
* Songs associated with the location
* Notable performers and other practitioners such as producers, engineers, technological innovators, record company heads, journalists, critics and scholars, songwriters, composers and lyricists.

A Dictionary of Literary Symbols, by Cambridge University Press. This is the first dictionary of symbols to be based on literature, rather than “universal” psychological archetypes or myths. It explains and illustrates the literary symbols that we all frequently encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold), and gives hundreds of cross-references and quotations. The dictionary concentrates on English literature, but its entries range widely from the Bible and classical authors to the twentieth century, taking in American and European literatures. For this new edition, Michael Ferber has included over twenty completely new entries (including bear, holly, sunflower, and tower), and has added to many of the existing entries. Enlarged and enriched from the first edition, its informed style and rich references make this book an essential tool not only for literary and classical scholars, but for all students of literature.

Make sure to check them out, and let us know if you there are new titles that you would like to see on Credo!

It’s been a great couple of weeks for new titles on Credo. Recently, we’ve added 8 more titles from great publishers, such as Edinburgh University Press, Continuum, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. and Collins. Check them out:

Philosophy of Science A-Z, from Edinburgh University Press. While philosophy of science has always been an integral part of philosophy, since the beginning of the twentieth century it has developed its own structure and its fair share of technical vocabulary and problems.

Philosophy of Science A-Z gives concise, accurate and illuminating accounts of key positions, concepts, arguments and figures in the philosophy of science from A priori/a posteriori to Elie Zahar. It aids understanding of current debates, explains their historical development and connects them with broader philosophical issues. It presupposes little prior knowledge of philosophy of science and is equally useful to the beginner, the more advanced student and the general reader. Readers will find in it illuminating explanations, careful analysis, relevant examples, open problems and, last but not least, precise arguments. Philosophy of science is a flourishing discipline and Philosophy of Science A to Z is a practical and imaginative way into and through it.

Key Thinkers in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language, from Edinburgh University Press. Key Thinkers in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language is a unique and accessible reference guide to the work of figures who have played an important role in the development of ideas about language. It includes eighty entries on individual thinkers in the Western tradition, ranging from antiquity to the present day, chosen because of their impact on the description or theory of language. Each entry explains the main ideas of the thinker, outlining their development and assessing their significance and influence. Brief biographical details place the subject in his or her cultural and historical context. No prior knowledge of either linguistics or philosophy is assumed; each entry concludes with suggestions for further reading of both primary texts and secondary sources, encouraging readers to find out more about the particular key thinker and the impact of his or her ideas. Thinkers included range from Plato and Aristotle, through Berkeley, Leibniz, Kant, Russell, Wittgenstein, and Austin, to Sacks, Kristeva, and Chomsky.

Key Ideas in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language, from Edinburgh University Press. This book offers introductory entries on ideas that have shaped the study of language up to the present day. Entries are written by experts in the fields of linguistics and the philosophy of language to reflect the full range of approaches and modes of thought. Each entry includes a brief description of the idea, an account of its development, and its impact on the field of language study. The book is written in an accessible style with clear descriptions of technical terms, guides to further reading, and extensive cross-referencing between entries. A useful additional feature of this book is that it is cross-referenced throughout with Key Thinkers in Linguistics and the Philosophy of Language (Edinburgh, 2005), revealing significant connections and continuities in the two related disciplines. Ideas covered range from Sense Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Logic, through Generative Semantics, Cognitivism, and Conversation Analysis, to Political Correctness, Deconstruction, and Corpora.

Great Thinkers A-Z, from Continuum. Great Thinkers, A-Z brings together short, accessible snapshots of the people who have shaped Western thought from the ancient Greeks to today. The snapshots, written by the world’s leading experts, describe a major thinker’s life and work with suggestions for further reading on each one. Covering philosophers as well as cultural and scientific thinkers – such as Foucault, Darwin, Einstein and Freud – who have had a major impact on philosophy, Great Thinkers, A-Z is the ideal book for anyone interested in the history of ideas and in contemporary thought.

First Ladies of the United States, from Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. Whether editing speeches and appearing on the campaign trail, presiding over White House renovations and social events, championing important causes, or functioning as the president’s most trusted adviser, first ladies have made significant contributions to the heads-of-state’s careers and to the nation. Yet, the accomplishments of those who have acted as the power behind the presidency have gone largely unreported and underappreciated. Systematically profiling each first lady from Martha Washington to Laura Bush, Watson offers the reader an intimate look at these women who have served the United States.

The chronologically arranged biographies examine each first lady’s early years and education, her family life, her presidential years, and her legacy. A short bibliography for each entry provides a selected list of additional sources. First Ladies of the United States is a convenient, well-researched, and thoroughly indexed reference, as well as an insightful account of the lives of forty-three women who have helped shape the course of U.S. history.

Great Victorian Lives: An Era in Obituaries, from Collins. The Times has recorded notable deaths from its beginnings (as The Daily Universal Register) in 1785, and by the middle of the 19th century obituaries were established as one of the glories of the paper. There was no attempt at comprehensive coverage, and nothing like the daily obituary page of modern times, but under the 36-year editorship of John Thadeus Delane (1841-77) the paper began to respond to the deaths of significant national and international figures in a style – and on a scale – that none of its rivals could match. Great Victorian Lives brings together obituaries from the Times of Delane and his successors, and shows how some of the leading personalities of the 19th century were viewed by a paper that was itself one of the defining institutions of the age.

Great Irish Lives: An Era in Obituaries, from Collins. For the first time, The Times brings together a unique collection of obituaries of Ireland’s most distinguished individuals from the last two centuries. The Irish have richly contributed to the world stage most notably in literature and politics but also in art, dance, music, film, religion, science and sport. The obituaries featured in this collection include: Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Lady Gregory, Thomas Moore, W.B.Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Charles Parnell, Michael Collins, Countess Markievicz, Eamon de Valera, George Best, Maureen Potter and Eamon Andrews. The obituaries are reproduced here as they were printed at the time. Ian Brunskill, the paper’s obituaries editor, has selected the subjects for inclusion with the assistance of Charles Lysaght, well-known Irish writer.

Great Military Lives: Leadership and Courage – from Waterloo to the Falklands in Obituaries, from Collins. The Times for over 150 years has been providing the most respected and perceptive verdicts on the lives of outstanding individuals. The Times Great Military Lives is an authoritative and fascinating collection of obituaries depicting the great military commanders of the 19th and 20th centuries, from Wellington to Fieldhouse.

We’ve recently added 4 great new titles to Credo Reference, 3 from M.E. Sharpe and one from Collins.

Great Lives: A Century in Obituaries, from Collins. Obituaries are about lives, not death. The lives of the exceptional individuals, from Lord Kitchener to Pope John Paul, collected in the book are first drafts of history which to a remarkable degree have stood the test of time. As these extracts show, they offer a revealing history both of the times in which they lived and of the changing Times.

The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places and Operations, from M.E. Sharpe. The culmination of years of research in dozens of archives and libraries, this fascinating encyclopedia provides an unprecedented look at the network known as the Underground Railroad–that mysterious “system” of individuals and organizations that helped slaves escape the American South to freedom during the years before the Civil War. In operation as early as the 1700s and reaching its peak with the abolitionist movement of the antebellum period, the Underground Railroad saved countless lives and helped alter the course of American history.

This is the most complete reference on the Underground Railroad ever published. It includes full coverage of the Railroad in both the United States and Canada, which was the ultimate destination of many of the escaping slaves. The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations explores the people, places, writings, laws, and organizations that made this network possible. Entries detail the families and personalities involved in the operation, and sidebars extract primary source materials for longer entries. This encyclopedia features extensive supporting materials, including maps with actual Underground Railroad escape routes, photos, a chronology, genealogies of those involved in the operation, a listing of Underground Railroad operatives by state or Canadian province, a “passenger” list of escaping slaves, and primary and secondary source bibliographies.

Encyclopedia of World trade from Ancient Times to the Present, from M.E. Sharpe. Trade has defined relationships between cultures and countries from prehistoric times to the present. From the caravans of the ancient world, to the search for new trade routes during the age of discovery, to the development of interconnected markets and the global economy, trade has been a defining force in world history. This is the definitive reference on the history of trade in all time periods. It traces the historical and contemporary interaction of trade, commerce, and culture in fascinating detail.

Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition in the Transatlantic World, also by M.E. Sharpe. The struggle to abolish slavery is one of the grandest quests–and central themes–of modern history. These movements for freedom have taken many forms, from individual escapes, violent rebellions, and official proclamations to mass organizations, decisive social actions, and major wars. Every emancipation movement–whether in Europe, Africa, or the Americas–has profoundly transformed the country and society in which it existed.

This unique A-Z encyclopedia examines every effort to end slavery in the United States and the transatlantic world. It focuses on massive, broad-based movements, as well as specific incidents, events, and developments, and pulls together in one place information previously available only in a wide variety of sources. While it centers on the United States, the set also includes authoritative accounts of emancipation and abolition in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

The Encyclopedia of Emancipation and Abolition provides definitive coverage of one of the most significant experiences in human history. It features primary source documents, a map of the transatlantic slave trade, illustrations, cross-references, a comprehensive chronology and bibliography, and covers a wide range of individuals and the major themes and ideas that motivated them to confront and abolish slavery.

Make sure to check out these new titles!

We added 7 new titles, and updated one older title, last week on Credo Reference. The new titles are:

World Politics since 1945, by Pearson. This enormously successful standard work has been expanded to take into account the developments of the last 10 years, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan; the accelerating emergence of India and China as major powers; the major political developments in Latin America, including the rise and perhaps fall of Chavez in Venezuela; the march of globalisation and the popular protest movements against; the expansion eastwards of the European Union; instability in the Middle East and the question of oil and energy supply.

Key Concepts in Journalism Studies, by Sage UK. Key Concepts in Journalism offers:

* a systematic and accessible introduction to the terms, processes and effects of journalism from Absence to Yellow Journalism.
* a combination of practical considerations with theoretical issues.
* further reading suggestions.

The authors bring an enormous range of experience in newspaper and broadcast journalism, at national and regional level, as well as their teaching expertise. This book will be essential reading for students in journalism, and an invaluable reference tool for their professional careers.

Political Philosophy A-Z, by Edinburgh University Press. A comprehensive, up to date and concise guide to one of the most important branches of philosophy.Both topical and historical, Political Philosophy A-Z has entries on Hobbes, Marx, and Rorty, as well as entries which explain what ‘contract theory’ is, and gives an account of ‘multi-culturalism.’ This book guides the reader through the intricacies of political theory, enabling them to trace their way through a debate, fixing historical and theoretical points of reference along the way. It is well suited for students studying political philosophy at university.Political Philosophy A-Z links up positions, thinkers and theories without unnecessary technicality. It is a valuable guide to political theorising.

A Glossary of UK Government and Politics, by Edinburgh University Press. A Glossary of UK Government and Politics is a handy reference guide to the events, personnel, policies and institutions relevant to the government and politics of the United Kingdom from accountability to the women’s movement. It includes a series of authoritative definitions and explanations and sharp vignettes of some of the leading characters who have graced the political scene in recent years. It is ideal for students who come across references which are new to them and on which they want or need to know more. The entries are accessible and manageable, yet sufficiently informative, offering basic details and something more by way of interpretation and insight into basic arguments and current controversies.

Dictionary of Probation and Offender Management, by Willan. Contemporary probation practice is developing rapidly and is become increasingly professionalized. Probation officers are typically described now as offender managers, and the creation of NOMS (National Offender Management Service) has broadened the remit of the Probation Service. As well as bringing an increased emphasis on skills and qualifications it has also introduced a new set of ideas and concepts into the established probation lexicon – including institutional, legal, political and theoretical terms of its own as well as importing concepts from the disciplines of sociology, criminology and psychology. This Dictionary is the essential reference book. This Dictionary is part a new series of Dictionaries covering key aspects of criminal justice and the criminal justice system and designed to meet the needs of both students and practitioners.

Dictionary of Policing, by Willan. Contemporary policing is developing rapidly and is becoming increasingly professionalized. For practitioners National Occupational Standards, Skills for Justice and the new PDLP (Police Development and Leaning Programme) have brought a new emphasis on skills, standards and knowledge. Training for police officers and civilian staff working in policing is being significantly upgraded. At the same time it has become more rigorous, with universities and other higher educational institutions playing an increasingly important part in police training – as well as expanding the range of policing courses for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Dictionary of Prisons and Punishment, by Willan. Contemporary prison practice faces many challenges, is developing rapidly and is become increasingly professionalized, influenced by the new National Offender Management Service. As well as bringing an increased emphasis on skills and qualifications it has also introduced a new set of ideas and concepts into the established prisons and penal lexicon.At the same time courses on prisons and penology remain important components of criminology and criminal justice degree courses. This will be the essential source of reference for the increasing number of people studying in, working in prisons and working with prisoners.

Additionally, we updated the Taber’s Cyclopedia Medical Dictionary, from F. A. Davis Company, to the 21st edition, published in 2009.

We’ve added 5 great new titles to Credo Reference this week!

Encyclopedia of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, by M.E. Sharpe. From references to secret agents in The Art of War in 400 B.C.E. to the Bush administration’s ongoing War on Terrorism, espionage has always been an essential part of state security.policies. This illustrated encyclopedia traces the fascinating stories of spies, intelligence, and counterintelligence throughout history, both internationally and in the United States.

Written specifically for students and general readers by scholars, former intelligence officers, and other experts, Encyclopedia of Intelligence and Counterintelligence provides a unique background perspective for viewing history and current events. In easy-to-understand, non-technical language, it explains how espionage works as a function of national policy; traces the roots of national security; profiles key intelligence leaders, agents, and double-agents; discusses intelligence concepts and techniques; and profiles the security organizations and intelligence history and policies of nations around the world. As a special feature, the set also includes forewords by former CIA Director Robert M. Gates and former KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin that help clarify the evolution of intelligence and counterintelligence and their crucial roles in world affairs today.

Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Political Thought. Roger Scruton’s Dictionary of Political Thought has been widely acclaimed as a profound and incisive guide to political ideas. This new edition takes stock of the revolutionary political changes that have taken place since the dictionary was first published in 1982, bringing the Dictionary right up to date.

Entries from Abdication to zoning cover every aspect of political thought, defining concepts and ideologies, surveying the arguments on issues, giving capsule histories of political institutions, and summarizing (with newly expanded treatment) the thought of major political theorists.

The Dictionary provides a readable and impartial survey of political thought, of immense value to students of political science, government, philosophy and jurisprudence as well as to the general reader with an interest in ideas. It is an indispensable guide to the thought, the wisdom and the folly of modern politics by one of the most lucid philosophers of our time.

Key Concepts in Political Communication, from Sage UK. This is a systematic and accessible introduction to the critical concepts, structures and professional practices of political communication.

Lilleker presents core concepts in political communication which cement together various strands of theory. From aestheticisation to virtual politics, he explains, illustrates and provides selected further reading. He considers both practical and theoretical issues central to political communication and offers a critical assessment of recent developments in political communication.

A Glossary of Political Theory, from Edinburgh University Press. This book covers alphabetically (from abstraction to Young Hegelians) both the major concepts in political theory and the key writers in the field. While ensuring accuracy and objectivity, the entries represent interpretations that are both challenging and interesting.

The premise underlying the book is that politics cannot be studied without theory, in which case the more concrete and relevant the theory, the better. Presenting theory in an abstract fashion makes it daunting for students who can find it difficult to see the links between theory and practice. The definitions in this glossary therefore relate political ideas to political realities (i.e. everyday controversies) in an attempt to make them as lively, stimulating and accessible as possible. Terms are selected based upon the concepts most regularly used in teaching.

Dictionary of Youth Justice, by Willan. A hundred years have passed since the inception of the first juvenile courts in the UK, yet the pace and reach of contemporary youth justice reform is unprecedented. Each of the youth justice jurisdictions in the UK – England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland – has been subject to substantial change and significant expansion in recent years. Youth justice is now conceived as an increasingly important area, not only within broader criminal justice and crime and disorder reduction discourses, but also within policy and practice debates with regard to child welfare, youth services, health, community development, urban regeneration, education and employment.

This Dictionary explicitly addresses the historical, legal, theoretical, organisational, policy, practice, research and evidential contexts within which ‘modern’ youth justice in the UK and beyond is located. The entries cover a spectrum of theoretical orientations and conceptual perspectives and engage explicitly with the key statutory provisions and policy and practice imperatives within each of the three UK jurisdictions.

This book is a key resource for those teaching and studying under-graduate and post-graduate courses in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, social policy, law, socio-legal studies, community justice, social work, youth and community work and police studies, together with policy-makers, managers and practitioners working within the youth justice sphere (including staff training officers, youth justice officers, social workers, probation officers, police officers, teachers and education workers, health professionals, youth workers, drug and alcohol workers and juvenile secure estate staff).