Start your research by defining words, concepts and historical contexts.

General Encyclopedias

Britannica Academic Online

 Comprehensive resource for college-level learners, researchers, and faculty. Discover encyclopedia articles, full-text journal and magazine articles, primary sources, multimedia, and other unique resources and tools that make research easier and more productive.

Language Dictionaries

Oxford Arabic Dictionary Online

Find thousands of translations from Arabic into and out of English on the Oxford Dictionaries Premium site, and learn more about Arabic language and culture.

Subject Encyclopedias

Brill Encyclopedia of Islam

Presents information on the "state of our knowledge of the Islamic World from religion and history to politics and culture." Includes articles on Muslims of every age and land, on tribes and dynasties, on the crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography of the various countries and on the history, topography and monuments of the major towns and cities. Its scope encompasses the old Arabo-Islamic empire, the Islamic countries of Iran, Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Indonesia, the Ottoman Empire and all other Islamic countries.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

A database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. 

Grove Art Online

Grove Art is a scholarly art encyclopedia, updated regularly and covering global art and architecture from prehistory to present day. Includes peer-reviewed articles contributed by over 7,000 scholars from around the world, accompanied by images, bibliographies, and links to additional resources.

McGraw-Hill Access Science Encyclopedia

AccessScience is an authoritative and dynamic online resource that covers all major scientific disciplines. An award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, it offers links to primary research material, videos and exclusive animations, plus specially designed curriculum maps for teachers.

ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science

Includes terminology of the various specializations within library science and information studies, and in addition, the vocabulary and definitions used within the academic and commerical publishing trade.

Oxford Islamic Studies Online

Encompassing over 5,000 A–Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Qur'anic materials, primary sources, images, maps, and timelines, Oxford Islamic Studies Online offers a multi-layered reference experience designed to provide a first stop for anyone needing information and context on Islam.