Authority Files

Personal names

Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF),
Virtual International Authority File (VIAF),
Harvard University Herbarium,
International Plant Names Index (IPNI),
Taxonomic Literature,
Authors of Plant Names,
Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) (for artist names)

Geographic names

TGN

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (http://geonames.nga.mil/ggmagaz/[international], http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/index.html

Subjects

LCSH

Genres and Material Types

AAT, LCSH, TGM

Digital Format

Internet Media Types [MIME] http://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/

Digital Medium

Note: these are physical formats with digital content

For Video and Audio formats, use PB Core physical format: http://www.pbcore.org/PBCore/formatPhysical.html

For general formats, including floppies and cds, use AAT: http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/aat/

If not found in any of the above, use RDA carrier type: http://metadataregistry.org/concept/list/vocabulary_id/46.html

Taxons

Note: this is usually going to be family or higher, so not likely to find a Genus species listed.

EMu Web: http://collections.nmnh.si.edu/

Encyclopedia of life: http://www.eol.org/ IPNI (botany) : http://www.ipni.org/

SQL Server Database (botany): http://nhb-web01/botanygeneral/cisrecs/

European Distributed Institute for Taxon (EDIT): http://www.e-taxonomy.eu/

National Zoo website

Biosis Controlled Vocabulary: http://web.archive.org/web/20071217183537/scientific.thomson.com/support/products/previews/bcv/st/

Other zoo websites: ex. San Diego Zoo, Bronx Zoo

Wikipedia IF it has good references as a last resort--try to verify.

Paleontological time periods

Use USGS Paleontology Glossary of Terms [if you know of a better source, please let us know]: http://geology.er.usgs.gov/paleo/glossary.shtml