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Adirondack Research Guide

About Reference Resources

Reference materials are great places to start your research, find quick facts or get statistics, maps and brief biographical information. Reference collections generally consist of things like dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, directories, almanacs and bibliographies. Some examples of the types of reference materials for the Adirondacks are provided below. This, however, is not an exhaustive list.

For almost any topic there will be resources that may be of use to you. For example if you are interested in the geology of the Adirondack region you may find a North American or New York Geology Encyclopedia useful even if it doesn’t specifically mention the Adirondacks in the title.

Reference Resources

Almanacs

 Kalinowski, Tom, and Sheri Amsel. Adirondack Almanac: A Guide to the Natural Year. Utica:NY, North Country Books, 1999.

Kirschenbaum, Howard, Susan Schafstall and Janine Stuchin. The Adirondack Guide: An Almanac of essential information and assorted trivia. Raquette Lake, NY: Sagamore Institute, 1983.

Atlases

Jenkins, Jerry and Andy Keal. The Adirondack Atlas: A Geographic Portrait of the Adirondack Park. Syracuse University Press, 2004. 

Beach, Richard J. and Malcolm Fairweather. Agricultural Atlas of New York State. Plattsburgh, NY: Dept. of Geography, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, 1979.

New York State Atlas. Albany, NY: New York State, Dept. of Transportation, 1983.

New York State Atlas and Gazetteer. Freeport, ME: DeLorme Mapping Co., 1993.

Bibliographies

 Adirondack Mountain Club. Bibliography Committee. Adirondack bibliography; a list of books, pamphlets and periodical articles published through the year 1955. NY: Gabriels, 1958.

Adirondack Mountain Club. Bibliography Committee. Adirondack bibliography supplement, 1956-1965; a list of books, pamphlets and periodical articles. Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y., The Adirondack Museum, 1973.

Cole, G. Glyndon and Dorothy Alice Plum. Historical Materials Relating to Northern New York; A Union Catalog. [Plattsburgh? N.Y.] North Country Reference and Research Resources Council, 1968.

Lopez. New York: a Guide to Information and Reference Resources. 1980.

Welch, Douglas B. Adirondack books, 1966-1992 : an annotated bibliography with a partial listing of book-length materials for the year 1993. Utica, NY: North Country Books, 1994.

Biographical Sources

Garraty, John Arthur, Mark C. Carnes and American Council of Learned Societies. American National Biography. New York, Oxford University Press, 1999.

Biography.com  http://www.biography.com/search
"Search the Biography.com database for over 25,000 of the greatest lives, past and present."

Directories

The New York State Directory. San Mateo, CA: Walker’s  Research LLC, 2001.

The New York Red Book: An illustrated yearbook of authentic information concerning New York State, its departments and political subdivisions and the officials who administer its affairs. 96th Edition. Albany, NY: New York Legal Publishing Corp., 2001.

Encyclopedias   

Hamlin-Wilson, Gail, Donald B. Ricky and Nancy K. Capace. Encyclopedia of New York Indians: tribes, nations and people of the woodlands areas. St. Clair Shores, MI: Somerset Publishers, 1998.

The Encyclopedia of New York. New York, Somerset Publishers, 2000.

Guides

Amsel, Sheri. The Adirondack Nature Guide. Mt. Kisco, NY: Pinto Press, 1997.

Folwell, Elizabeth. The Adirondack Book: a complete guide. Stockbridge, MA: Berkshire House, 1992.

Statistics and Facts

Cross, David and Joan Potter. The Book of Adirondack Firsts. Elizabethtown, NY: Pinto Press, 1992.