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Welcome to the nineteenth annual Best Free Reference Websites list. In 1998, the MachineAssisted Reference Section (MARS) of RUSA appointed an ad hoc task force to develop a method for recognizing outstanding reference websites. This task force became a formal committee at the 2001 ALA Annual Conference, and is now named the Emerging Technologies Section (ETS) Best Free Websites Committee.
A link to this year's winners can be found on the ETS webpage along with a link to the "Best Free Reference Websites Combined Index," which provides, in alphabetical order, all entries from the current list and previous eighteen lists. Annotations for the Best Free Websites List entries, written by committee members in the years the websites were selected, provide guidance for using the websites as reference tools. Once again, the committee considered free websites in all subject areas useful for ready reference and of value in most types of libraries.
The committee has established the following criteria for nominations:
* Quality, depth, and usefulness of content
* Ready reference
* Uniqueness of content
* Currency of content
* Authority of producer
* Ease of use
* Customer service
* Efficiency
* Appropriate use of the web as a medium
More detailed explanation of the criteria can be found on the ETS webpage: http://rusa.ala.org/update/awards/best -free-reference-websites/.
As in previous years, the committee worked virtually, using email and the online bookmarking website Diigo (http:// www.diigo.com). Each member nominated five to seven websites according to the criteria specified above, and then wrote annotations that would assist fellow committee members with reviewing and voting for their favorite nominated websites. Thirty-two websites were nominated. After careful review, the committee members recognized sixteen Best Free Reference Websites for 2017. The annotations for the winning websites were edited by the co-chairs to ensure that they are of optimal use to librarians and fit the criteria listed above.
If you are interested in working with the committee to identify the Best Free Websites for 2018, the twentieth anniversary of this list, please complete the Committee Volunteer Form on the ALA website (https://www.ala.org/cfapps/com mittee/volunteerform/volunteerform.cfm).
BEST WEBSITE WINNERS 2017:
American Kennel Club, www.akc.org
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the most wellknown and authoritative dog registry in the world. On the AKC website you can...