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Background Information
Reference books can provide background information on various topics, helping you to better understand your topic. Typically entries on topics will be brief, between 1-20 pages, and can help you find related topics and areas.
Background information can help you learn about the history, scope, depth, and breadth of your topic. It can be useful to help you understand a subject, as well as give you information to help you narrow a topic.
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An online library of encyclopedias, dictionaries, and reference books that are easily searchable by topic. Use to research people, places, topics, and more.
Reference Books
Print Reference Books
The L.W. Tyree Library has an extensive Reference Collection of encyclopedias, dictionaries and other specialized tools. Below is just a selection of resources related to geography. These reference books and many others are located on the 2nd floor of the L.W. Tyree Library and are available for in-library use only. If you need access to information in one of these books from an SF Center, please call the Reference Desk for assistance: 352-395-5409.
Encyclopedia of Geography by Call Number: G63.E554 2010 vol. 1-6With more than 1,200 entries, the Encyclopedia of Geography reflects how the growth of geography has propelled a demand for intermediaries between the abstract language of academia and the ordinary language of everyday life. The six volumes of this encyclopedia encapsulate a very diverse array of topics to offer a comprehensive and useful summary of the state of the discipline in the early 21st century.
Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life by Call Number: GN333.W67 2017 vol. 1-5Covers history, politics, customs, religion, education, human rights issues, rites of passage, and much more for 533 diverse cultural groups in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania, and Europe.
Florida Atlas & Gazetteer by Call Number: G1315.D4 2012Amazingly detailed and beautifully crafted, large-format paper maps for all 50 states. Includes topographic maps with elevation contours, major highways and roads, dirt roads, trails and land use data.
Reference eBooks
These are all electronic books that are available online. If you need assistance logging in, please call the Reference Desk at 352-395-5409.
The Dictionary of Human Geography by With clear, critical, and constructive surveys of key terms by leading researchers in the field, The Dictionary of Human Geography, fifth edition, remains the definitive guide to the concepts and debates in human geography.
Geography of the World by Details each country's physical geography, people, climate, culture, and landscape.
Hutchinson Guide to the World by Invaluable guide to the world's countries, places, and geographical features, including core reference information and practical information for the traveller.
Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations by Presents easy-to-understand information on countries and dependencies from around the world. Entries discuss a variety of topics in detail, from banking and securities to climate, from government data to demographic statistics. Also includes biographical essays on national leaders.
The Dictionary of Physical Geography by This fully-revised comprehensive fourth edition covers the whole field of physical geography including climate and atmosphere, geomorphology, biogeography, hydrology, oceans, Quaternary, environmental change, soils, remote sensing and GIS.
