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Computer Science

A Brief Guide to Reference Resources

[Guides to the Literature] [Databases & Indexes] [Dictionaries & Encyclopedias]
[Biography] [Handbook] [Current Awareness Services]

updated:  July 7, 2009
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Guides to the Literature

Computer Science and Computing: A Guide to the Literature. [SCIENCE REF QA 76 Z999 C67V 2006]
This up-to-date resource is a selective guide to the major sources and tools central to computer science and computing. After an introductory chapter, it covers other literature guides; databases, and indexing and abstracting services; bibliographies; dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks; directories, guides, and other reference sources; Web-based reference sources; and associations and publishers.

Information Sources in Science and Technology. [SCIENCE REF Q 158.5 Z999 H87 1998]
Contains a chapter listing information sources for computer and information technology. Earlier editions are available in the Science Library circulating book collection.

Databases & Indexes

Aggregator databases. Accessible to University at Albany users only.
Citations to articles and full-text from computing magazines and journals can be accessed using the Libraries' general aggregator database, EBSCO Academic Search Premier. The ACM Digital Library and the IEEE Computer Society Digital Library are publisher aggregator databases which provide access to their respective magazines, journals, transactions, and conference proceedings. ScienceDirect is a publisher's aggregator database that provides access to a large collection of Elsevier online journals, including computer science titles. All of these aggregator databases are available via the Libraries' "Database & Indexes" Web page <http://library.albany.edu/databases/search.asp>.

The Guide to Computing Literature. Accessible to University at Albany users only
A comprehensive bibliographic reference to the world's English language computing literature including journal articles, conference papers, books, monographs, doctoral theses, and technical reports. Produced by the Association for Computing Machinery, it provides coverage from 1947 forward.

INSPEC. Accessible to University at Albany users only
The INSPEC database provides comprehensive coverage of the fields of physics, electronics, and computing from 1968 forward for journal articles, reports, books, dissertations, patents, and conference papers.

MathSciNet. Accessible to University at Albany users only
The Web-based equivalent to Mathematical Reviews produced by the American Mathematical Society. Indexes and reviews books, periodical articles, and conference proceedings back to 1940.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Concise Encyclopedia of Computer Science. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.15 C654 2004]
This is the shortened version the Encyclopedia of Computer Science (see below). It contains about 60% of the content in the full version.

Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.15 H43 2004]
With over 400 entries, this one-volume encyclopedia provides information on current topics in computing, including technology developments & innovations and biographies of computer pioneers. It is written for students and general audiences.

Encyclopedia of Computer Science. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.15 E48 2000]
A one-volume authoritative encyclopedia covering the entire range of computer science. Each article is separately authored and signed. Earlier editions are in the Science Library circulating book collection.

The Facts on File Dictionary of Computer Science. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.15 F345 2006]
This dictionary contains more than 2,400 concise definitions of computer science terms. There are also cross-references, illustrations, and several appendices.

Oxford Reference Online: Computing. Accessible to University at Albany users only
Oxford Reference Online provides access to 2 online computing dictionaries: A Dictionary of Computing (2008) and A Dictionary of the Internet (2009).

Webopedia.
Webopedia is an online dictionary of computer- and Internet-related terms.

Biography

A to Z of Computer Scientists. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.2 A 21 H46 2003]
This resource contain over 100 biographies of computer scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and other who have had an impact on the field. There are photographs, a list of entries by specialization, and a subject index.

Dictionary of Scientific Biography. [SCIENCE REF Q 141 D5]
This multi-volume resource includes essays on computer scientists. Published under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies, each essay is signed by the contributor, emphasizes the biographee's accomplishments, and includes a bibliography. 14 volumes plus indexes and supplements.

International Biographical Dictionary of Computer Pioneers. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.2 A2 I68X 1995]
Includes biographical information on a few hundred computer pioneers, managers, and financiers. Most entries contain a narrative along with information on education, professional experience, and honors and awards, followed by bibliographies of additional biographical data and significant publications.

Notable Twentieth-Century Scientists. [SCIENCE REF Q 141 N73 1995]
This four-volume set is a comprehensive source of biographical information on over 1,300 scientists active in the 20th century. Each biographical entry includes a two or three page essay, a list of selected writings, and a bibliography. There are field of specialization, gender, nationality/ethnicity, and subject indexes.

Handbook

Collected Algorithms from ACM. [SCIENCE REF QA 76.6 A83X]
A compilation of algorithms published in Association for Computing Machinery journals. Each entry lists a title, source, author, certification status, and remarks.

Current Awareness Services

Alerting Services.
Alerting Services is made available from the Science & Engineering Library at the University of California, San Diego. It lists publishers, independent journals, and databases that provide email alerting services. This includes both those that support complete tables-of-contents listings as well as those that will maintain subject search profiles.

IngentaConnect. Accessible to University at Albany users only
An automated current awareness service that delivers the table of contents of journals or article citations by electronic mail. Search strategies can be created by journal, keyword, or author. Instructions on how to set up a profile are available at <http://library.albany.edu/databases/about/ingentahelp.html>.


For additional Web-based computer science resources
see the Computer Science subject guide.