Oxford Reference

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

Oxford Reference provides authoritative online reference content and research tools for quick fact-checking and deeper scholarly study.

Target Customer

Scholars, students, librarians, and researchers accessing Oxford Reference via institutional subscriptions or individual accounts.

Key Differentiator

A single platform combining dictionaries, encyclopedias, and companions with continuous updates, online-only content, and integrated research tools (annotation, personal workspace, and library integration).

Implementation Timeline

Value can be realized upon subscription; continuous updates and new titles are added throughout the year.

Pain Points

1Need for fast, reliable quick-reference answers.
2Need for in-depth, authoritative reference content beyond quick answers.
3Need for up-to-date content and seamless library/institutional integration (subscriptions, discovery, and OpenURL/MARC support).

Key Features

1Quick Reference and Reference Library collections for different depths of content.
2Oxford Reference Premium with continuous updating and online-only content.
3Annotation functionality and Personal Profile ('My Work') to save and manage notes.
4Timelines (270 historic timelines) and Quotations (Oxford Essential Quotations); 300,000+ overview pages.
5Library integration features: MARC 21 records, OpenURL, library widget, and title-by-title purchasing options.

Target Customer Industries

Client Results

1Faster fact-checking with quick-reference answers and reliable, authoritative content.
2Deeper, scholarship-level research through in-depth encyclopedic and companion content.
3Up-to-date content with new titles and ongoing updates.
4Structured research workflow via annotations and saved work in a personal profile.

Competitive Advantages

1Comprehensive coverage across 22 subject areas with 2 million digitized entries.
2Combination of quick-reference and in-depth scholarly materials in one platform.
3Continuous online updates and exclusive content for subscribers.
4Robust research tools including Timelines, Quotations, and annotation/workspace features.
5Strong library integration (MARC 21, OpenURL) and discoverability features.

Key Benefits

1Fast access to quick-reference facts.

2Authoritative in-depth reference content for advanced research.

3Ongoing content updates and new titles.

4Integrated tools for annotation, personal organization, and library discovery.

Additional Product Information

Product Description

Oxford Reference is a premier online reference platform from Oxford University Press, spanning dictionaries, encyclopedias, and companions, designed for quick fact-checking and deep scholarly research.

Target Market

Academic institutions, libraries, researchers, and students seeking reliable, authoritative reference content and research tools.

Unique Value Proposition

A continuously updated, authoritative digital reference library offering fast quick-reference answers and deep scholarly content with integrated research tools and library-friendly features.

Technical Requirements

Web-based access requiring subscription (institutional or individual); supports library integration (MARC 21, OpenURL) and personal profile features for saving annotations.

Pricing Model

Institutional subscriptions (Oxford Reference Premium) and title-by-title purchasing; personal use allowed to print a single entry as a PDF under licence terms.

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