Online Reference Resources

It is really nice when you have a reference handy to look up information really quickly for a project, report, homework, or out of idle curiosity. Sometimes we just don't have ready access to this information. If that's the case, please bookmark this site for a starting point in any research you need to do.

For online help, use these resources:

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  LibrarySpot.com is a free virtual reference center that simplifies the search for the best resources online, including libraries, high-utility reference tools, periodicals, library industry information and more.
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  HeadlineSpot.com is a free guide to thousands of the best U.S. and international news resources online. From the site, access more than 2,600 headlines and thousands of news resources by subject, location, industry or media type, read columnists and critics, find useful search tools, enjoy satire and offbeat news, explore journalism resources and more.
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  MuseumSpot.com is a free information resource center that simplifies the search for the best museum information on the Web. From the site, quickly and easily locate museums by city, state, country, name and topic; explore museums by type, search for exhibits by artist, access educational and industry resources, and much more.
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  GiveSpot.com is a free volunteer and philanthropy resource center that makes it easy to find ways to make a difference in your community and around the world. From the site, quickly and easily find and evaluate more than 700,000 nonprofits and charitable organizations, locate more than 25,000 volunteer opportunities, research nearly 60,000 foundations, explore social issues and much more.
• English Dictionary - This is a powerful, no-frills English dictionary containing over 200,000 references with both US and British spellings.
• American Heritage - Fourth edition has 90,000+ entries.
• Cambridge Dictionaries - Includes phrases and idioms.
• Dictionary.com - Definitions from Webster's and more.
• Merriam-Webster - Familiar, fast and easy dictionary.
• OneLook Dictionaries - Search many dictionaries at once.
• World English Dictionary - Includes audio pronunciations.
• yourDictionary.com - Dictionaries for 230+ languages.
• Glossarist.com - A glossary directory to 20+ topics.
• Everybody's Legal Dictionary
• Legal Ease
• Law.com
• Duhaime's Law Dictionary
• Medic8 UK Online Medical Dictionary
• Travlang Spanish
• Dictionary of Spanish - Standard Spanish dictionary.
• ARTFL French To English/English To French Project - Translate from French to English and vice=versa.
• Word Reference - Translates English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.
• AT&T Toll Free Internet Directory - Look up any phone number anywhere in the US and get your info online.
• Bartlett's Familiar Quotations - Wonder who said, "All the world's a stage" or any other familiar quote? Look it up here.
• Better Business Bureau - A great resource to find the truth of any so-called get rich quick scheme. Before you invest the money, investigate the company or read the warnings of similar offers.
• Biography.com - Read about the lives of the rich, famous and infamous.
• CIA World Factbook - They keep a file on countries from around the world. This is a must if you are going overseas! Learn about the details from population to politics, money to religion. It's all here.
• Complete Gardening Reference Guide Before you start that garden, look up what you should do first, when to plant and if you should plant. Identify weeds and bugs which can damage your lawn or crops.
• Computer Dictionary Confused by computer geek talk? Find out what was said that went over your head.
• Encyclopedia - Get the low down on many facts all in one place without having to buy an expensive set or CD.
• Hoax Kill - Kills false rumors, urban legends, and virus hoaxes.
• Internet Public Library - Resources linked to libraries around the US. Find a book online.
• Merriam-Webster Online Wondering the meaning of a word? Type it in, press enter, and satisfy your curiosity.
• Research-It! - If you don't know where to start a big project, consult this source for help.
• Recipes - The most exhaustive resources of recipes for main courses, breads, desserts, drinks and more.
• Search 842,588 U.S. Government Web Pages - Find out where our tax dollars are going. See what the government set up for you.
• Skeptic's Dictionary - Part myth from reality. Put those urban myths to bed. Get the low down on all scams, cons and other ways to part a fool from his money.
• Strunk Style Manual - Putting a sentence together can be hard work if you do not know the rules. Find out how to make each sentence correct.
• Thesaurus - If you are getting tired of using the same words, find a new one to replace the old.
• US Postal Service - Like the BBB, an excellent place to get the bottom line of the law when it comes to mail fraud, chain letters, and other scams. Don't fall into the traps.
• Zip+4 Lookup - Quick reference for US zip codes to find the extra 4 digits which route your letter more accurately.
• Urban Legends - You should come directly here after receiving any form of email that has been forwarded to you and has a track record of several other names. Chances are the facts are mere fairy tales.