Currently, ten electronic encyclopedias appear on the Yahoo! directory. Only one, Encyclopedia.com, part of the well‐known Electric Library service, represents a close match to a commercially produced general subject encyclopedia. While possessing limitations, it stands as a useful encyclopedic dictionary plus subject guide to World Wide Web resources.
Encyclopedia.com is the third edition of the Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia encyclopedic dictionary containing 17,000 short but well‐written articles. Users search the database through two methods. First, the main page contains twenty‐six encyclopedia volume icons that allow browsing of entries in alphabetical order. Each section then lists alphabetically arranged links to individual entries. A table of contents for the section appears on the left side of the screen, allowing quick and easy movement within the volume section.
The entries are very brief but quite informative. Spot checking revealed no factual errors in the entries. Cross reference links to related materials are embedded within the entries. Also included are links to World Wide Web sites containing additional information. These links also introduce the limitations of the system. Much of the additional information, however, is from the Electric Library site. Use of these items requires a subscription. While subscription rates are reasonable, and a thirty day trial period is available, this places a major limitation on the usefulness of the tool.
On the other hand, Encyclopedia.com serves as a useful subject guide to related World Wide Web sites. Links to pre‐selected sites appear as questions on different aspects of the main topic. Some questions, such as the links for the topic of cancer, provide optional choices of sub topics. These choices are made by selecting the sub topic using pull down menus. Spot checking the different sites found them of very high quality. A selection of
Web search engines accompanies these subject links.
Along with browsing, keyword searching is provided through an Excite search engine. While useful as a subject index for the database, it contains little searching instruction. Search results are displayed twenty at a time; and articles are viewed in the same fashion as browsing.
For quick reference, the site is quite good. It is also useful and a starting point for locating web resources by subject. The need for a subscription to the Electronic Library, however, stands as a major drawback. Even with the additional links to the Electric Library and World Wide Web site, this tool lacks the authority and depth of such electronic encyclopedias as Britannica Online. Still, patrons should find this tool useful for answering a variety of simple questions as well as a link to high quality Web sites. Recommended for library and home use.
