Geographical Sources 43A gazetteer is defined by Joan M. Reitz asa separately published dictionary of geographic names that gives
the location of each entry. Also, an index of the names of the places
and geographic features shown in an atlas, usually printed in a
separate section following the maps, with locations indicated by
page number or map number and grid coordinates.^4The Columbia Gazetteer of the World (2nd edition) is a revision of a
work that set the standard for a geographical reference work when
it was published in 1998. (Its predecessor, the Columbia-Lippincott
Gazetteer of the World, last published in 1961, was the original stan-
dard-bearer.) More than 170,000 entries packed into three volumes
provide information on both the physical (e.g., oceans, mountains,
lakes) and political (e.g., countries, cities, capitals) world. An online
version (www.columbiagazetteer.org) is available.
In Reference and Information Services: An Introduction, David A. Cobb
notes that the Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide
(2 volumes) “has long been considered an unofficial gazetteer for
the U.S.”^5 Offering census and eco-
nomic data, specialized maps and
comprehensive state indexes, this
is one of the most practical of geo-
graphical reference sources.
Online, the U.S. Gazetteer (www. census
.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer/) from the
United States Census Bureau is a
helpful resource.Guidebooks are indispensable items for travel to an unfamiliar place and
may be just as helpful in a reference setting.
The Forbes Travel Guides (formerly Mobil Travel Guides) series is one
of the most useful for reference work or traveling. Other useful
travel guidebooks include those published by Fodor’s Travel Guides
(www.fodors.com) and Rough Guides (www.roughguides.com).
When using guidebooks, it is essential to consult the latest editionWhen the question involves
booking a flight or a hotel room,
travel sites such as Expedia
(www.expedia.com), Travelocity
(www.travelocity.com), and
Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) are very
helpful.