Best Free Reference Resources 2023

Free reference sources, vetted, smart, and endlessly useful, are a rich resource for scholars and students. Here are our five top picks for 2023.

Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal

Created by the United States’ National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences as part of its outstanding Resources for Scientists database, this site offers unprecedented access to climate- and health-related literature published between 2007 and 2023. The wide-ranging content features peer-reviewed research and gray literature from the biomedical, ecological, and geophysical sciences. Information focuses primarily on health impacts associated with climate variability/change and weather-related natural disasters.

C-SPAN Video Library

A stellar and comprehensive video library that houses all of C-SPAN’s content from September 1987 through 2017. The archive currently contains over 230,000 hours of material, including congressional hearings, White House daily briefings, commencement speeches, and interviews. Videos are accompanied by full transcripts; dates, locations, and timestamps for each clip are clearly marked. Users can create their own clips, and options for bookmarking, embedding, and sharing are readily available.

Ohio University Library Digital Archival Collections

Ohio University offers free access to its rich digitized collections, which include fully catalogued and described manuscripts, photographs, fine art, Civil War correspondence, and much more. Of special interest is the Don Swaim Collection, which features 888 interviews conducted by journalist Don Swaim with authors and editors, including Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, Pulitzer Prize winner Ray Bradbury, and Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood.

Perplexity

This unique resource combines AI technology with web search capabilities, allowing users to conduct conversational, natural-language-based queries and receive responsive results accompanied by citations and links to relevant sources. The ad-free platform relies on the Perplexity Copilot, a tool that asks follow-up questions, summarizes the most relevant findings, and pulls from a variety of vetted, traceable sources. The free plan allows five Copilot queries every four hours.

Studs Terkel Radio Archive

An exciting digital archive that houses over 2,000 radio programs created by broadcaster Studs Terkel during his decades-long career at Chicago’s WFMT. The stunning interface allows users to explore by topic (advocacy, television, sports, the Great Depression), people (artists, academics, historians), date, and keyword. Additional features include curatorial commentary, educational curricula, opportunities to reuse and remix audio, and an original podcast.

1 COMMENT
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.
Fill out the form or Login / Register to comment:
(All fields required)

Cyrus Lee

This is a great resource! Yesterday I emailed requesting that a copy of the standards be mailed to my son who has just been appointed the librarian for the Victor Unit Carceral Library at Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla, WA. He is starting his new job with a space and stacks of books that have been left behind or cast off by unit inmates. His contact info is William Lee 419681, 1313 N 13th Ave, Walla Walla 99362. My name is Cyrus Lee 406 293 9630. I am the president of a NFP which works with inmates there who create stuffed animals and other items that we sell to raise funds for local charities. You can see our work at Bears n Stuff on Facebook. Through AA Incarcerated we are beginning to partner with AA District 92 which is E. WA, N. ID, W. MT. They are keen to support work that supports inmates. I hope to hear from your organization and and I will work with my son to get an internet connection (he can't have one) that things can be sent in and printed the correction officer in charge of Victory Unit. Many thanks!

Posted : 2024-11-08 14:15:45


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?