Research material

Interested in hearing from old timers about pre-Google transcript preparation.  What tricks did you have for tracking down words before you could just highlight and search?  

In the era of BC (before computers) I bought reference books, actual printed words on a page.  These included dictionaries of various types.  For example, medical textbooks, standard dictionaries, a very nice series by Barron's (business and insurance terms and now computer terminology) and two law dictionaries.  Also, I purchased  French, Spanish, Italian and Latin dictionaries.  I used to purchase a yearly World Almanac.  I still maintain all the books I purchased over the years.

One my favorite dictionaries, and one that I still use, is Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, which belonged to my Dad.  I used to watch him read it back in the 1960s.

When electronic dictionaries came on the scene in the 1980s, I thought I was in heaven.   Then I was given a gift of an electronic medical speller.

Just for fun, I bought a secretarial studies book from the 1930s, and a book from the 1800s concerning phonetic writing.

Then the Internet came into my life.  I have to say that my first choice for finding spellings and clarifications of words is Google.  It's fantastic. There have been occasions where  obscure phrases -- some dating back to the 16th Century! -- have been uttered by people speaking at public hearings.  

So there you have it: Life before the Internet.

Ditto to the previous answers.  It's impossible to collect every reference book you'd ever need (just too many areas to cover).  At one time or another I would find myself calling engineers or any myriad of experts out of the Yellow Pages, explaining my dilemma, and voila.  People were so nice and usually willing to help.   I made sure I became on a first-name basis with my pharmacist, contractor, plumber, etc., because I had them in my sights!  And at times when all else was exhausted, I would make a trip to the local library or book store looking for that...one...word. A-a-a-ck!

SHOOT ME NOW!  SO GLAD WE'RE BEYOND THAT!!!!!!!