Reference Sources

Biographies & Fact Books

• Biography - Incorporates the Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia database and Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography.
• Encyclopedia Britannica - An online, dynamic version of the classic encyclopedia.
• Chronological List of Presidents, First Ladies, and Vice Presidents of the United States - "Information, election results, cabinet members, notable events, and some points of interest on each of the presidents. Links to biographies, historical documents, audio and video files, and other presidential sites are also included."
• QuickFacts, United States - Easy access to facts about people, business, and geography of U.S. states from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Statistical Abstract of the United States - Published by the U.S. Census through 2012.
• WordReference.com - Foreign language dictionary.

Dictionaries & Thesauri

• Acronym Finder - A comprehensive dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms.
• ASL Sign Language Directory by Handspeak - Provides both animated and text definitions. This website also provides an ASL-to-English reverse dictionary.
• Dictionary of Phrase and Fable - Supplies the meaning and origin of phrases and fables in keyword searchable format.
• Lexicool - A directory of online bilingual and multilingual dictionaries on the Internet.
• Merriam-Webster - Access to the unabridged dictionary and the thesaurus.

Geography & Maps

• Distance Calculator - Find distances from one place to another anywhere in the world.
• Geography Program, U.S. Census Bureau - Geographic products including maps and geospatial data for legal and statistical boundaries.
• Google Maps - Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
• John R. Borchert Map Library - Located at the University of Minnesota, it is "one of the premier map libraries in the country".
• MapQuest - Locate a city, a business, or a specific address in the U.S., and display a map of the area around it. TripQuest calculates and displays driving directions between two U.S. cities.
• Minnesota Geospatial Commons - "A collaborative place for users and publishers of geospatial resources about Minnesota".
• Minnesota Geospatial Information Office - Known as MnGeo, the office was established as the first state agency with legislatively defined responsibility for coordinating GIS within Minnesota. Provides a variety of information including a Minnesota Map Gallery.
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Maps - Digital, interactive, and print maps of local interest.
• Minnesota State Highway Map - The "official" highway map, provided by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
• National Geographic Maps - Provides an interactive mapping experience.
• United States Board on Geographic Names - The Geographic Names Information System contains information about almost 2 million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States.
• United States Geological Survey Map Topics - Access to a wide variety of maps including geologic maps, topographic maps, geospatial map applications, and more. The USGS Special Topics are another area of research and study.

Historical Documents

• Digital Collections - A focus on U.S. history, created by the Library of Congress.
• Founding Documents (Minnesota) - From the Minnesota Legislative Manual.
• Milestone Documents - American history and government historical documents. These are some of the most-viewed and sought-out documents in the National Archives.
• Minnesota Digital Library - A collection of more than 58,000 images and documents depicting the history of Minnesota.
• Minnesota Historical Society: Research - Access to historical data and primary source materials.

Language & Writing

• Citation Style Guide: Which Style Should I Use? - The types of styles used by various disciplines.
• Elements of Style (Strunk, 1918) - Full text of this classic guide.
• How to Cite - Explanations and examples of various citation styles including APA, MLA, Chicago, and Turabian.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) - Guides to MLA, APA, Chicago, and helpful exercises.

Quotations & Speeches

• Bartleby.com: Quotations - Search for quotes in a number of classic quote books.
• Bartlett's Familiar Quotations - Contains over 11,000 searchable quotations.

Weights & Measures

• Complete List of Measurement Units Supported - A comprehensive list of current and historical measurements.
• Weights and Measures - A compilation of material from Infoplease.

Other Information

• Kelley Blue Book - Find prices for new and used cars and read reviews and ratings.
• Nobel Prizes and Laureates -A complete list of winners from 1901 to the present. There is also a Nomination Archive. 
• Pulitzer Prizes - A complete list of Pulitzer Prize winners from 1917 to the present.
• Robert's Rules Online - The revised, 4th edition of the classic parliamentary guide, Robert's Rules of Order.
• United States Patent and Trademark Office - A wealth of information and access to their patents database.
• XE Currency Converter - Includes current and historical rate tables.
• Vital Records - How to obtain birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates, etc. in the United States.
• Zip Code Lookup from the United States Postal Service.

The sites listed on this page are not created, maintained, or endorsed by the Minnesota Legislature.