Basic Petroleum Data Book
American Petroleum Institute
Washington, DC: American Petroleum Institute: 2008
Call# Ref HD9561 .A7 B35

From API:”The Data Book is a compendium of U.S. and international petroleum statistics beginning, in most instances, in 1947.

The Data Book contains historical data on worldwide oil and natural gas reserves, exploration and drilling, production, refining, transportation, historical prices, product demand, imports, exports and environmental information. A glossary and a source list (names and telephone numbers) are also included in the nearly 600-page book.”

The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Volume 8: Environment
Ed. by Martin Melosi
Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2007
Call# Ref F209 .N47

From The University of North Carolina Press:
“From semitropical coastal areas to high mountain terrain, from swampy lowlands to modern cities, the environment holds a fundamental importance in shaping the character of the American South. This volume of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture surveys the dynamic environmental forces that have shaped human culture in the region–and the ways humans have shaped their environment. Articles examine how the South’s ecology, physiography, and climate have influenced southerners–not only as a daily fact of life but also as a metaphor for understanding culture and identity.

This volume includes ninety-eight essays that explore–both broadly and specifically–elements of the southern environment. Thematic overviews address subjects such as plants, animals, energy use and development, and natural disasters. Shorter topical entries feature familiar species such as the alligator, the ivory-billed woodpecker, kudzu, and the mockingbird. Also covered are important individuals in southern environmental history and prominent places in the landscape, such as the South’s national parks and seashores. New articles cover contemporary issues in land use and conservation, environmental protection, and the current status of the flora and fauna widely associated with the South.”

New Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Ed. by Noretta Koertge
Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2008
Call# Ref Q141 .N45

From Gale:
“Charles Scribner’s Sons releases the first major expansion of the Dictionary of Scientific Biography, entitled The New Dictionary of Scientific Biography, featuring more than 775 completely new articles. This new work extends, complements and comments upon the original Dictionary of Scientific Biography, which contains thousands of biographies of mathematicians and natural scientists from all regions and historical periods. The Dictionary of Scientific Biography presents an accurate and reliable narrative of the development of science, not as a mere accumulation of technical information but as the collective accomplishment that has ordered our understanding of nature. More than 500 of the new articles are devoted to scientists deceased since 1980 and not previously treated in the Dictionary of Scientific Biography including Hans Bethe, Francis Crick, Richard Feynman, Stephen Jay Gould, Fred Hoyle, Mary Leakey, Konrad Lorenz, Barbara McClintock, Linus Pauling, Andrei Sakharov, B. F. Skinner, and Edward Teller. There are also more than 75 articles on figures overlooked in the original Dictionary of Scientific Biography (from Chrysippus to Kinsey) and 250 “postscript” commentaries on important careers that have inspired new research and interpretation (from Archimedes and Aristotle to Darwin, Einstein, and Oppenheimer).

The New Dictionary of Scientific Biography guarantees the permanent relevance of the original work and constitutes a huge expansion of its scope.

Selected biographies include:

• Luis Walter Alvarez
• Aristotle
• Charles Babbage
• Francis Bacon
• Charles Robert Darwin
• Albert Einstein
• Rosalind Elsie Franklin
• Galileo Galilei
• Caroline Lucretia Herschel
• Thomas Henry Huxley
• Carl Gustav Jung
• Isaac Newton
• J. Robert Oppenheimer
• Louis Pasteur
• Jean Piaget
• Claudine Picardet
• Julia Bowman Robinson
• Carl Sagan
• Beatrice Tinsley
• Alan Mathison Turing
• And many more”

Science and Scientists
3 volumes
Pasadena, Calif. : Salem Press, 2006.
Call# Ref Q180.55 .D57 S29 2006

From Salem Press:

” Lucan’s famous dictum that those standing on the shoulders of giants see more than the giants themselves applies to no human endeavor more thoroughly than to the “pure” sciences: astronomy, chemistry, biology, geology, mathematics, physics, and the many subdisciplines they have spawned.

The three volumes of Science and Scientists documents over 245 of the most important breakthroughs in the history of science, cross-referenced to link those that built on others. The scope is from ancient times to the present day. These essays are accompanied by sidebars that link scientists, experiments, and key concepts to virtually every milestone.

Scope and Coverage
Arranged alphabetically, essays featured in Science and Scientists address the most important breakthroughs in the sciences, ranging from Abstract Algebra to Quantum Mechanics, from the Big Bang to X-Ray Astronomy, from Antisepsis to Viruses.

Accompanying more than half the essays is a capsule biography of explanation of an important episode associated with the breakthrough. In addition, more than 60 diagrams and line drawings illustrate key concepts. Over 160 photographs provide further illustration. “Crossover” achievements such as the Personal Computer, the Internet, or Vaccination are included in these pages as having had as great an impact on the sciences as on everyday life. Core achievements in space, with an emphasis on space science, are included as well.

Organization and Format
Each essay opens with a brief definition of the topic and a summary of its significance, followed by a list of the central figures involved. The text of each essay follows, broken by informative subheads. Cross-references to other essays in these volumes follow, and each essay ends with a listing of core resources for “Further Reading.” All essays were written by scholars of history or the sciences and are approximately 2,000 words (4-5 pages) each.

Finding Aids and Special Features
At the end of the third volume students and general readers will find a list of Nobel science laureates, a time line listing the essays in chronological order, a listing of websites, a list of the topics by category (or science sub-discipline), a personages index, and a comprehensive subject index. In addition to the 125 sidebars, more than 220 illustrations - both line drawings and photographs - round the set.”

Dictionary of Energy
By Cutler J. Cleveland and Christopher Morris
New York : Elsevier, 2006.
Call#: Ref TJ163.16 .D53 2006

From Elsevier:

“At a time when the topic of energy prices, resources and environmental impacts are at the forefront of news stories and political discussions, we are pleased to announce the publication of the exciting new Dictionary of Energy.

This authoritative resource, called “an essential reference for energy researchers” by Mark Jaccard, Director of the Energy and Materials Research Group at Simon Fraser University, covers all aspects of energy and its role in society. * Over 8,000 definitions spanning 40 scientific disciplines * More than 100 ‘window essays’ written by experts, and covering topics of particular scientific, historical or social significance * Over 150 photos and illustrations

Co-edited by Cutler J. Cleveland, the Editor-in-Chief of the widely-acclaimed Encyclopedia of Energy, and Christopher Morris, the Editor of the award-winning Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology. In a single volume this unique work provides a comprehensive and organized body of knowledge on what is certain to become an increasingly vital area of scientific study in the 21st century.”

Oxford Dictionary of Ecology
By Michael Allaby
New York : Oxford University Press, 2005.
Call#: QH540.4 .C66 2005

From Oxford University Press:

” Written in a clear, accessible style, the Oxford Dictionary of Ecology contains over 5,000 entries on all aspects of ecology and related environmental scientific disciplines such as biogeography, genetics, soil science, geomorphology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Coverage is wide-ranging and includes plant and animal physiology, animal behavior, pollution, conservation, and habitat management, evolution, environmental pollution, climatology and meteorology. Entries are cross-referenced for ease of use and are supported by clear diagrams where appropriate. Fully revised, updated, and expanded, the third edition contains over 30 new illustrations and over 200 new entries. It also includes a new appendix listing useful websites for further research. Invaluable to students of ecology or any branch of the environmental sciences, this reference is also a perfect tool for general readers with an interest in the natural world.”

Collins Web-linked Dictionary of Biology
by W. G. Hale, et al.
New York : HarperCollins, 2006
Call#: Ref QH302.5 .H34 2006

From HarberCollins:

“
This completely revised and updated edition is designed for advanced high school, undergraduate, and graduate students who have an interest in the life sciences, from recent advances in genetics to theories of evolution.

• Includes more than 6,500 entries and illustrations

• Covers all the major fields within biology, including anatomy, biochemistry, ecology, evolutionary theory, genetics, genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, physiology, and taxonomy

• Now includes numerous useful links to authoritative Web sites to further expand research in the field

• Contains biographical details of important biologists”

Dictionary of Animal Behaviour
David McFarland, ed
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006
Ref QL750.3 .M34 2006

From Oxford University Press:

“This dictionary covers every aspect of animal behaviour and includes terms from the related fields of ecology, physiology and psychology. Clear, concise entries are backed up by specific examples where appropriate, covering all aspects of behaviour from aggression to courtship.

Jargon free and informative, this dictionary is an essential source of reference for students of biology, psychology, and zoology, as well as fascinating reading for all those interested in animal behaviour.”

Encyclopedia of Soil Science
(2 volumes)
Rattan Lal, ed.
New York : Taylor & Francis, 2006.
Ref S592 .E517 2006

From Dekker:

“An invaluable reference for anyone seeking information on all aspects of soil science, this resource contains new sections on ISRIC-World Soil Information, root growth and agricultural management, nitrate leaching management, podzols, paramos soils, water repellant soils, rare earth elements, and much more…presents hundreds of entries on tillage, irrigation, erosion control, minerals, ground water, and soil degradation…outlines the agricultural, environmental, industrial, and cultural components that affect soil productivity…offers quick access to peer-reviewed articles on all branches of soil science- from mineralogy and physics to soil management, restoration, and global warming…and assesses the physical and hydrological properties of soil in natural and agricultural ecosystems.”

World Atlas of Natural Hazards
Bill McGuire
London : Arnold, 2004.
Call# Ref G1046 .C1 M3 2004

From Oxford University Press:

“The World Atlas of Natural Hazards presents an authoritative yet accessible picture of the perils our planet and our society currently face and a view of the range and scale of threats that may be expected in the new century and beyond. The atlas incorporates a narrative that is driven by maps, images and graphics to paint portraits of natural hazards in space and time, the manner in which they impinge upon our society, and what we can do to avoid, mitigate, or manage their worst excesses. New research that sheds light on processes and mechanisms is addressed, along with established and innovative methodologies designed to limit the impact of natural hazards and reduce associated risk. The book opens with an introduction to the historical development of hazard and risk mapping and closes with a sober assessment of prospects for the future.”