Curlie

Reference

Reference is a category for sites devoted to the study of and access to information itself - teaching it (Education), using it (Knowledge Management), storing it (Libraries, Museums) - or sites containing information on topics varied and comprehensive enough that they could not be classified under the other top level Open Directory categories (Dictionaries, Directories, Encyclopedias).

Almanacs

Collection of useful information, sometimes with celestial information or a calendar.

Ask an Expert

The Ask an Expert Category is for websites that allow users to submit their own questions for answers. While archives of answers and information are useful, in order to get listed in this category, there must be a live human answering questions, not just a search engine or computer.

In addition, this category is for sites that provide this human service free of charge. Answers that are available for a fee should be listed in Ask an Expert: For a Fee. Businesses that are trying to promote their services should be listed according to their industry and/or geography. Forums also are not appropriate for this category, and should be submitted to the relevant subject category, as they are a different type of site and have a different function.

Again, we ONLY want web sites where you can submit questions to a pool of experts and have them supply an answer.

Please read these guidelines carefully before you submit your site for the Ask an Expert category, as submitting your site to the wrong category will most likely prevent your site from getting listed in the ODP.

Sites that are good candidates for the Ask an Expert category will have the following characteristics:
1. An easily accessible interface for users to submit their questions.
2. Human experts who will answer the question.

Sites that will not be accepted to the Ask an Expert category:
1. Sites that provide information, but not directly in response to user questions.
2. Sites that provide answers or advice for a fee.
3. Sites that are promoting a specific business.

Bibliography

A list of readings on a particular subject.

Biography

Websites about the life and work of notable individuals from all walks of life. Categories for specific people are listed in alphabetical order, under the first letter of the person's surname or primary name.

Most listings in this category are links to categories in topical areas of the directory. Please submit your site to the appropriate category for the subject's area(s) of prominence.

Books

This category is a central location for information about the non-commercial aspect of books. Such as links to author's homepage, the book's homepage, and links to supplementary material.

Sites that are primarily for promoting or selling books will not be considered for listing here.

Dictionaries

Dictionaries provide such information as the spelling, pronunciation, meaning, forms, etymology, and usage of words. This category includes dictionaries of many different types and languages.

Dictionaries containing more than one language should be submitted to a category within Reference/Dictionaries/World_Languages.

Directories

A directory is a guide or list of resources, not an individual business. The directories in this category are mainly telephone, email and manufacturers directories.

Industry specific directories should be found as a subcategory of the Industry.

Directories that deal specifically with a city, state, country, or other geographic area, should be found at the regional level for that geographic category.

The editors are under no obligation to list your submission in the Open Directory and may move it to another category or delete it as appropriate.

Education

Before you ask the editors to create a new subcategory please take the time to look around.

TIP: Go to the search engine and type in a few keywords that relate to your site. The search results will serve up listings of different categories. Go to those categories and see if one of them is right for you. You may have to do a few searches using different keywords that relate to your site.

Also, it is possible your site could more appropriately be placed under some other top level directory category such as Science or Society. Please find the closest related subcategory. It should be noted that the top level categories that are listed are very broad and also contain second, third, and sometimes fourth, fifth, and more levels of categories that may relate more closely to what you need for your listing. Make sure you have dug down deeply enough in the directory structure before you make a suggestion. If you list in the upper level categories, your listing could be moved to a lower level category or removed if not relevant. Thank you for your cooperation. --- As a "last" resort "after" you have exhausted all other methods --- If a related subcategory doesn't exist, you may contact one of the upper level editors and provide a suggestion. One of the editors will review your request. If it is truly not available, we will add the category and you can submit your URL to it. Note: You should not submit to the upper level categories.

Flags

Information about flags from around the world. Includes flag collecting and protocol.

Flags for sale will not be accepted in this category and should be submitted to Shopping: Home and Garden: Flags and Banners for consideration.
Flags for particular world regions and countries should be submitted to the appropriate Regional category.

Journals

This category exists to tie together the categories for scholarly, professional, and technical journals in other parts of the directory. Sites should only be submitted to this category if:

an appropriate Journal category for the journal's topic cannot be found, or
the site is for an interdisciplinary journal or journal collection.

To find an appropriate category for a journal's topic, please follow the links found in this category.

This is not the place for Online Writing Journals. Please submit such sites to the above linked category.

Knots

Knots are intertwining patterns in material such as rope, string or webbing, used for a multitude of purposes, such as fastening, constricting, securing, tightening or simply decorating.

Please submit great resources with a focus on knots. If the site has a general focus on knots, please submit in this category. If the site focuses a specialized kind of knot (such as sailing knots or decorative knots), please submit in the relevant subcategory.

Knowledge Management

Knowledge Management is a discipline that examines information and human understanding, using concepts from education, information technology, cognitive psychology and library science. It is also a strategy aimed at turning an organization's intellectual assets, both recorded information and the talents of its members, into greater productivity, new value, and increased competitiveness. It provides a powerful way of looking at how society organizes itself and uses its intellectual resources and promises a means of humanizing our approach to modern technology, putting the understanding of human intellect and motivation at the center.

Please suggest only sites that broadly address the art or science of Knowledge Management. Sites that address specific branches of Knowledge Management should be suggested to the most appropriate subcategory. Sites that are related to spreading knowledge about a particular topic (for example, religion or population data) should be suggested to the specific topical category). Businesses and companies are not listed at this level.

Please suggest sites that have substantial English-language content. Sites which do not have substantial English-language content should be suggested in the appropriate World category.

Mirrors, doorways and sites under construction will not be considered for listing.

Libraries

Libraries are physical or virtual places where users can find selected and categorized collections of information resources, and help in finding and using those collections. This category provides links to sites and resources that are library-related: the web sites of libraries themselves, sites about libraries, information regarding the profession of librarianship, and professional tools and resources for librarians.

Do not submit sites that offer products for sale here. Submit them in the best Shopping category. Online stores are not libraries!

This category provides links to sites and resources that are library-related: the web sites of libraries themselves, sites about libraries, information regarding the profession of librarianship, and professional tools and resources for librarians.

Do not submit websites which do not meet the above description. They will not be added in this category.

Maps

This category is for general world maps that are available for viewing online. Maps for sale can be found at Shopping: Publications: Maps.

Maps for sale will not be accepted in this category and should be submitted to Shopping: Publications: Maps for consideration.
Maps for particular world regions and countries should be submitted to the appropriate Regional category.

Museums

Institutions devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value.

See appropriate subject categories for more specialized virtual museums.

For sites not in English, please look in the proper World category.

Open Access Resources

Open access resources are meant to be an alternative to for-profit resources. This category gathers several kinds of works inspired by initiatives whose aim is to promote collaborative projects and free access to non-commercial content.

Parliamentary Procedure

Lists professional parliamentary procedure organizations, sources of materials and information, and where to find free consulting and materials. Click on "Parliamentarians" for a listing of active parliamentarians. All titles are listed alphabetically.

Quotations

A quotation is a copy of the words of another, with acknowledgment of the source. If you do not include sources for your quotations, the Reference sub-categories are not right for your site. You might consider submitting it to one of the Society:People:Personal Pages categories. If your site is primarily a sales promotion, please submit it to the appropriate Shopping category.

If the daily quotations you provide are limited to a particular subject, you might consider submitting your site to one of the subject-specific Reference:Quotation sub-categories. For instance, a site that sends out a daily inspirational quote might prefer to be listed in the Reference:Quotations:Inspirational sub-category.

Thesauri

A list of subject headings or descriptors usually with a cross-reference system for use in the organization of a collection of documents for reference and retrieval.

Please submit only sites that are concerned with the creation and maintenance of thesauri. Cool or useful thesauri should be submitted to Reference: Thesauri: Specialized.

Time

These sites provide information on time in general or provide the current time over the web. Sites related to the Network Time Protocol (NTP) can be found in Computers/Internet/Protocols/NTP. Other categories contain information on time as it relates to Geology and Astronomy.

Sites related to information on time in general, history of concepts, definitions, measurements, clocks and watches.

World Records

This category is dedicated to sites pertaining to World Records - to be listed here, your website or resource must reference the Guinness Book or your site must be dedicated to world records or specific recordholder(s).

Your website or resource must reference the Guinness Book or your site must be dedicated to world records or specific recordholder(s).