An integrated spectrophotometric survey of nearby star-forming galaxies

We present integrated optical spectrophotometry for a sample of 417 nearby galaxies. Our observations consist of spatially integrated, S/N 10-100 spectroscopy between 3600 and 6900 angstrom at similar to 8 angstrom FWHM resolution. In addition, we present nuclear (2.5 x 2.5) spectroscopy for 153 of these objects. Our sample targets a diverse range of galaxy types, including starbursts, peculiar galaxies, interacting/merging systems, dusty, infrared-luminous galaxies, and a significant number of normal galaxies. We use population synthesis to model and subtract the stellar continuum underlying the nebular emission lines. This technique results in emission-line measurements reliably corrected for stellar absorption. Here we present the integrated and nuclear spectra, the nebular emission-line fluxes and equivalent widths, and a comprehensive compilation of ancillary data available in the literature for our sample. In a series of subsequent papers we use these data to study optical star formation rate indicators, nebular abundance diagnostics, the luminosity-metallicity relation, the dust properties of normal and starburst galaxies, and the star formation histories of infrared-luminous galaxies.