The document provides information about The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2017. It describes the publication as a reference work containing various facts about subjects like world events and sports. The almanac can be accessed both online and in print, and contains information that is useful for students, researchers, and general readers seeking information on diverse topics. It also outlines how to locate and make use of the almanac within a library setting.

1. THE WORLD ALMANAC AND
BOOK OF FACTS 2017
A Ready Reference Guide
by Deanna Siegel

2. WHAT IS IT?
The World Almanac and Book of Facts is a
reference work published in the United States.
The publication features information about
various subjects such as world changes, sports
updates, etc.

3. WHAT DOES IT DO?
The World Almanac and Book of Facts is a great reference resource
that people can use generally or academically. It is a resource that
contains several different kinds of facts, which makes it extremely
accessible to all groups of people. Those who want to know about
climate changes or political figures can use the almanac to answer
their questions. Or, to put it more simply, if a person wants a well-
rounded and current read, he or she can turn to the world almanac to
satiate his or her curiosity.

4. WHERE IS IT LOCATED?
There are two places that almanacs can be located:
 Adult non-fiction
➡ In the adult non-fiction area, almanacs will either be placed in the
reference area or they will be mixed into the non-fiction section.
 Juvenile non-fiction
➡ In the juvenile non-fiction area, almanacs will most likely be located
in the non-fiction section. In some cases they could be separated out
into their reference collection, which is why it is always a great idea to
ask!

5. HOW IS IT ACCESSED?
Almanac’s can be accessed on the internet or in print. There are
several free, web-based almanacs available. However, if you would
prefer the text being in front of you rather than on a screen, there are
still several almanacs available in print. That is how this specific
almanac can be accessed.
Some online based almanacs can be accessed here:
 http://www.almanac.com/

6. WHO CAN USE IT?
There are several different types of
almanacs that you can use. There are
almanacs made specifically for
children and adults. The specific
almanac that we are looking for is
geared towards adults. However, it is
very easy to access juvenile almanacs
and can do so by looking them up in
the library catalog.

7. HISTORY
 First publication of the World Almanac was in 1868. It was
published by The New York World Newspaper. It contained news
about the Reconstruction and impeachment of President Andrew
Johnson.
 The World Almanac was eventually suspended but picked back up
by Joseph Pulitzer after he bought The New York World Newspaper.
The publication then became one of the most influential newspapers
and the World Almanac popularity grew.
 Changed its name from “The World Almanac and Encyclopedia” to
“The World Almanac and Book of Facts” in 1923.

8. HISTORY (CONT.)?
The World Almanac was used by several
presidents such as John F. Kennedy and
Calvin Coolidge, and became a resource on
which they relied.
 The World Almanac maintains up to date
information about current and past events,
astronomical data, and significant dates.
 Ways to access the World Almanac has
changed over the years—can now be
accessed in print, and online through
libraries and the open web.

9. HOW CAN THIS HELP YOU?
Almanacs in general are great resources to
use in your daily life. Since almanacs are
essentially a collection of information all in
one place, there is always more to learn. It
can be a great reference guide to a simple
question such as “Who were some of the first
notable explorers?”
Since almanacs have both past and present
facts, it is possible to use them for general
interest or school projects. If you are
searching for a specific topic, there is a good
chance that there is a specific almanac to fit
that topic. There are several different kinds of
almanacs that focus only on one topic or one
age group in order to go more in depth. An
example of this is:
 http://www.worldalmanac.com/world-
almanac-kids.aspx

10. GETTING STARTED
1. Go to your local library
2. Find a catalog station
3. Make sure the “search catalog” option is selected

11. EXAMPLE

12. SEARCH FOR THE WORLD
ALMANAC
The next step is to search for
the World Almanac on the
library catalog. Type in “world
almanac” and press submit.

13. NARROW YOUR SEARCH
1. Once you are taken to the results page, look at the tags located on
the left sidebar. Under “collection” click “adult non-fiction”
2. This should narrow your search enough to where you see “The
World Almanac and Book of Facts” pop up.
3. Click on that top result and it will take you to an organized results
page with all of the almanacs available in the library.

14. EXAMPLE

15. FINDING YOUR ALMANAC
 Zero in on the most recent almanac: The World Almanac and Book
of Facts 2017.
Once you’ve found the almanac that you would like to see, jot down
the number next to the text: 310 WOR 2017.
 If you are unable to find the section yourself, do not hesitate to ask
a librarian to help you.
 Once you find the World Almanac and Book of Facts 2017, find a
nice table or comfortable chair to sit in while you browse.

16. EXAMPLE

17. INFORMATION ARRANGEMENT
Information in almanacs are
arranged through a table of
contents pictured here. This is the
quickest way to find any topics you
are looking for.

18. SELECTING YOUR TOPIC
1. Scroll down the list until you find a topic that interests you.
2. Flip to the correct page number.
3. Once you have read that section, repeat the previous steps.

19. EXAMPLE

20. EXAMPLE (CONT.)
 The sections can vary in
length, but most are
generally pretty long. It is
important to be aware of
the black and white tabs
within the sections that
separate out smaller
topics.

21. INDEX
At the back of the World Almanac
and Book of Facts, there is an index
that you can also refer to. These are
more specific tags that can better
help you locate the facts you need.

22. (CONT.)

23. QUICK REFERENCE INDEX
The World Almanac and Book of Facts
also includes a quick reference index
if you were in a hurry and needed to
find your topic quickly. This makes it
easy to refer to the almanac and helps
with quick answers.

24. ADDITIONAL HELP
Librarians are there to help you, so if you are
struggling to search or to find the specific almanac you
want, do not hesitate to go to the information desk for
help. If you have any additional questions and want to
learn more about almanacs, be sure to check out their
website as well:
http://www.worldalmanac.com/index.aspx

25. CITATIONS
 History of The World Almanac. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.worldalmanac.com/wa-wahist-learning-resources.aspx
 95th Street Library. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.naperville-
lib.org/about/95th-street-library