LibGuides: Bible as Literature: Reference Resources

Gale & Oxford Virtual Reference Libraries

Gale eBooks: Virtual Reference Library
Gale ebooks is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but are now accessible online from the library or remotely 24/7. Because each library creates its own eBook collection, the content you see may vary if the database is accessed from different libraries (your school, your public library, or your office). Encyclopedias and specialized reference resources in: Arts, Biography, History, Information and Publishing, Law, Literature, Medicine, Multicultural Studies, Nation and World, Religion, Science, Social Science.
Oxford Reference Online
Provides access to dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works along with topical companions and a dictionary of quotations, offering full-spectrum subject coverage. Combines over 2 million entries and some 300,000 pages (many of which are illustrated) into a single cross-searchable resource consisting of 180 core academic titles.

Encyclopedias / Companions / Handbooks

The Holland and Terrell Library print reference collection is located on the 1st floor of Terrell (main library entrance) behind the reference desk. Check call numbers for all locations.

The Bible: A Historcial and Literary Introduction by Bart D. Ehrman
Call Number: Hol Ref BS475.3 E37 2014
ISBN: 9780195308167
The Blackwell Companion to the Bible and Culture by John F A Sawyer
Call Number: Hol Ref BS538.7 .B62 2006
ISBN: 1405101369
Cambridge Companion to the Bible by Bruce Chilton; Howard Clark Kee; et al
Call Number: Hol Ref BS475.2 .C36 2008
ISBN: 0521691400
Encyclopedia of Religion by Lindsay Jones, editor in chief
Call Number: Hol Ref BL31 .E46 2005 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0028657330
The second edition of a resource that is considered a standard reference in the field. Presents a cross-cultural approach that emphasizes religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture. The original 2,750 entries have been retained, many heavily updated, and approximately 600 entirely new articles have been added by an international team of scholars and contributors. Print version in reference collection.
Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception (EBR online) by Constance Furey et al, eds.
Call Number: Electronic resource
ISBN: 3110229854
Comprehensive interdisciplinary resource on the origins and development of the Bible, primarily in the canons within Judaism and Christianity. Also documents the history of biblical reception in Islam and other non-Western religious traditions and movements. Includes additional coverage of the Bible in classical, literary, and archaeological contexts as well as its ongoing presence in the visual arts, music, film, and dance. Regular updates.
The Oxford Companion to the Bible by Bruce Manning Metzger; Michael David Coogan; Oxford University Press
Call Number: Hol Ref BS440 .M434 1993
ISBN: 0195046455
eBook version also available.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and the Arts, 2 Vols. by Timothy K. Beal, ed.
Call Number: Hol Ref BS538.7 .O94 2015
ISBN: 0199846510
The Oxford Handbook of English Literature and Theology by Andrew Hass; David Jasper; Elisabeth Jay
Call Number: Hol Ref PR145 .H37 2007
ISBN: 0199271976
The Oxford Handbook of the Reception History of the Bible by Emma Mason et al, eds.
Call Number: Hol Ref BS500 .O94 2013 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0199670390
Print version available in reference collection.
Religion Past and Present: Encyclopedia of Theology and Religion (multi-volume) by Hans Dieter Betz et al, eds.
Call Number: Hol Ref BL31 .R4213 2007
ISBN: 900413980X

Reference eBooks

American National Biography by General editors, John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes
Call Number: CT213 .A68 1999 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0195206355
Short Biographical sketches of over 18,300 men and women -- from all eras and walks of life -- whose lives have shaped the United States. Contains thousands of illustrations, 80,000 hyperlinked cross-references, and links to select web sites. Updated quarterly.
Arts and Humanities Through the Eras by Philip M. Soergel (Editor)
Call Number: NX440 .A787 2005 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 9780787693848
Publication Date: 2004-12-01
Offers a multidimensional picture of primarily Western civilization, covering Ancient Egypt (2675-332 B.C.E.), Ancient Greece and Rome (1200 B.C.E.-476 C.E.), Medieval Europe (814-1450 C.E.), Renaissance Europe (1300-1600 C.E.), and The Age of the Baroque and Enlightenment (1600-1800 C.E.). Provides access to each historical period through the study of nine different arts and humanities topics: "Architecture and Design," "Dance," "Fashion," "Literature," "Music," "Philosophy," "Religion," "Theater," and "Visual Arts."
Dictionary of Untranslatables: A Philosophical Lexicon (eBook) by Barbara Cassin, ed.
This is an encyclopedic dictionary of close to 400 important philosophical, literary, and political terms and concepts that defy easy--or any--translation from one language and culture to another. Drawn from more than a dozen languages spanning the classical, medieval, early modern, modern, and contemporary periods, these are terms that influence thinking across the humanities. The entries, written by more than 150 distinguished scholars, describe the origins and meanings of each term, the history and context of its usage, its translations into other languages, and its use in notable texts.
Encyclopedia Britannica Online - Academic ed. by Encyclopædia Britannica
Call Number: AE5 .E363 (Electronic resource)
EBO provides access to over 75,000 articles from the Encyclopædia Britannica; headlines from the New York Times, the BBC, the SBS Australian News Service, and full-text articles from more than 700 magazines and periodicals provided by EBSCO and Proquest; World data; Gateway to the classics; 166,000 Web sites selected by Britannica editors; over 27,000 images and maps, plus 3,300 animations, videos, and audio files; and world atlas. Includes Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary and thesaurus.
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas by Maryanne Cline Horowitz, editor in chief
Call Number: CB9 .N49 2005 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0684314525
A six-volume survey of the history of Western thought and culture, presented through 700 alphabetically arranged entries. Each entry explores the origin, cultural interpretations, and historical themes of such subjects as beauty, love, feminism, diversity, and social capital, among many others.
Oxford Classical Dictionary by Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth, eds.
Call Number: DE5 .O9 2005 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0198606419
In over 6,200 entries, provides both scholars and non-specialists with a comprehensive source of reference which aims to answer all their questions about the classical world. Written by the very best of classical scholars from all over the world, the Dictionary provides coverage of Greek and Roman history, literature, myth, religion, linguistics, philosophy, law, science, art and archaeology, and topics in near eastern studies and late antiquity.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography by H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison, eds.
Call Number: DA28 .O95 2004- (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 019861411X
Biographies of noteworthy people, no longer living, who inhabited or were connected with the British Isles. Portraits included for more than 10,000 entries.
Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World by John Roberts, ed.
Call Number: DE5 .O92 2007 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0192801465
From the first Olympic Games in 776 BC to the death of Marcus Aurelius in AD 180, this accessible and wide-ranging reference work draws on the groundbreaking Oxford Classical Dictionary to present more than 2,500 entries on the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The dictionary covers key aspects of ancient Greek and Roman life and literature, such as science, social structure, philosophy, and religion.
Oxford English Dictionary by Oxford University Press.
Call Number: PE1625 .O87 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0198611862
Provides etymologies and examples of usage for English words. Especially useful for determining what possible meanings an author may have intended in a given work written at a given time. The online OED is updated on a quarterly basis. The OED is the premier historical dictionary of the English language.
Who's Who in the Classical World by Simon Hornblower and Tony Spawforth, eds.
Call Number: DE7 .W48 2003 (Electronic resource)
ISBN: 0192801074
Holds biographical entries on nearly 500 individuals of central importance from the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome, including writers, thinkers, artists, scientists, statesmen, kings, queens, and other historical figures.