Oxford University Press launches Oxford Bibliographies Online

“Oxford Bibliographies Online is like GPS for academics awash in a sea of information." Casper Grathwohl, VP, Reference Publisher, Oxford University Press

In recent years, the explosion of original research and its increasing accessibility through new technologies is a blessing for scholars—but also a tremendous challenge. For faculty, students and librarians querying new areas of research, the most pressing challenge for researchers at all levels is sifting through and managing the immense amount of material available online. “With the growing ease of digital access and dissemination, scholars and students are increasingly overwhelmed by the enormous volume of academic material available to them,” noted Nigel Portwood, OUP’s Chief Executive. “The need for responsible and sophisticated filters has become critical. Oxford Bibliographies Online represents a significant step forward in providing meaningful navigation through the vast body of research material accessible on the web.”

Oxford Bibliographies Online—a series of intuitive and easy-to-use “ultimate reading lists” is designed to help users navigate vast seas of information. It goes beyond search algorithms to present bibliographies in several disciplines selected by leading subject experts and vetted by the highest professional standards.

The result of extensive interviews with librarians, numerous focus groups and market research, Oxford Bibliographies Online extend a centuries-long mission of supporting excellence in research, scholarship and education. “Oxford could not have pulled a project of this scope and magnitude together without the exceptional cooperation of the hundreds of scholars who served as editorial board members approving and vetting content, editor-in-chiefs of the modules, and the contributors themselves who sifted through the myriad scholarship out there in each discipline, “ remarked Tim Barton, President of OUP USA. “We here at OUP, and I suspect the academic community at large, owe these scholars a debt of gratitude for their help in delivering OBO on such a tight deadline. I’m a little envious, I wish I had access to such a remarkable tool when I was at University.”

The product launches this week with modules on Classics, Islamic Studies, Criminology and Social Work. According to Casper Grathwohl, VP, Publisher of Reference and Online Products, “An increasing amount of scholarship is bypassing traditional publishing channels. OBO is one of several ways in which publishers are extending their reach beyond their own publishing models to validate good research in a new world of unregulated online scholarship.” Oxford Bibliographies Online will help scholars increase productivity, save time and elevate the quality of their work, while enabling them to more efficiently engage with platforms like Google Books.

For media access to Oxford Bibliographies Online or to arrange an interview please contact:

Julia Hall on 01865 353911 / 07986 683940 or julia.hall@oup.com