Best Free Reference Sites, Part Two

I love research, and if in a conversation a question can’t get answered I automatically have to search for it. There is such an amazing amount of information out there, and so many ways to find it, I thought I would dig into my browser favorites and share some of the sites I like to use. I list ten at a time, alphabetically, for this series. Here is the next batch.


Calculator - If you need to calculate anything from fractions to percentages to…love(?) this site should be able to help you out.

Card Games – Want to learn a new game or look up the rules to one you haven’t played in a while? Most likely it’s here.

CIA – They offer a lot of info. The standout, for me, is the World Factbook.

Directory of Open Access Journals – As of this writing this site links to 4,682 scientific and scholarly journals, and their lofty goal is to cover all subjects and languages. Sound boring? Go to the site and click around a bit, I bet you’ll change your mind.

Handyman USA – Need some DIY tips for home improvement projects and repairs? Start with this one. 

Holt Researcher – As soon as you get to this site just start scrolling down to get an idea of how many subjects they cover.

Internet Archive – Another huge database. This one archives, well, the Internet! Also home of the Wayback Machine.

Internet Public Library – They offer categories for kids and teens, as well as links to newspapers and magazines all over the world. Look for your info by subject matter, use their search engine or ask a librarian by email.

Language to Language – Beware, this language translation site can be addictive. After trying words such as love, monster and hope I suppose it was inevitable that I moved on to dirty words. Yep, they cover those, too.

Library of Congress – The internet presence of the largest library in the world. Make sure to visit the digital collections section.

Look for Part Three next week.

Related Reading:

Best Free Reference Sites, Part One