Online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Look up a fast fact or browse subjects of interest with our online encyclopedias and dictionaries. This is the same authoritative content as in our print editions, but it is updated more frequently and you can access it from anywhere.

Arkansas State Library logoDatabases marked with the Arkansas State Library logo are provided via Traveler Access, a project made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act. Additional state funds were provided by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895 – Documents the African American experience from the arrival of the first slave ship to the death of Frederick Douglass-and shows how American culture, history, and national identity have been influenced by the experience of African Americans.

Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present – Traces the transition from the Reconstruction Era to the age of Jim Crow, the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, up to and including the 2008 election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

Encyclopedia of Arkansas – A free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. The Encyclopedia contains more than 6,000 entries and pieces of media related to Arkansas with new material being added weekly.

Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages

The Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment

The Grove Encyclopedia of Classical Art and Architecture

The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts

International Encyclopedia of Dance

International Encyclopedia of Linguistics

New Schaff – Herzog Encyclopedia of Religion

The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt

The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Evolution

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Global Change

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World

The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Rhetoric

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History

Arkansas State Library logoWorld Book Advanced – Designed for high school and college students, a powerful reference tool that includes encyclopedic, multimedia, eBook, and primary source databases, fully integrated in a single search.

Arkansas State Library logoWorld Book Online – Early World of Learning – Offers narrated stories with word-by-word highlighting, interactive games, interactive reference material for beginners, and more to help young learners build vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and reading fluency.

Arkansas State Library logoWorld Book Online – Kids – Developed especially for young students with simple navigation, easy-to-read articles, multimedia, interactive games and activities, science projects, and and teacher tools.

Arkansas State Library logoWorld Book Online – Spanish (Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos) – A student-focused resource that offers World Book’s excellent editorial content, rich media, and interactive features in Spanish.

Arkansas State Library logoWorld Book Online – Student – includes the articles of the World Book Encyclopedia, a Biography Center, dictionary, atlas, an extensive multimedia collection, thousands of editor-selected Web sites, correlations to curriculum standards, and much more.