Many of our popular print reference resources are available at the Reference Desk, 1st floor.

Types of Reference Sources

Almanac: usually a one-volume work with statistics and a compilation of specific facts (e.g. World Almanac and Book of Facts, and Information Please Almanac)

Atlas:  a book of maps and geographical information (e.g. Atlas of American History)

Bibliography:  a compilation of sources of information, provides literature on a specific subject or by a specific author (e.g. Books in Print and Bibliography of African Literatures)

Biographical dictionary: sources of information about the lives of people (e.g.Dictionary Current Biography and Who’s Who in America)

Chronology:  lists the events described in order of the date on which they occurred

Concordance:  an alphabetical listing of keywords or phrases found the in work of an author or work in a collection of writings (e.g. Topical Bible Concordance)

Dictionary:  defines words and terms; confirms spelling, definition, and pronunciation; used to find out how words are used; helps to locate synonyms and antonyms and to trace the origin of words (e.g. Webster’s Dictionary)

Directory:  lists names and addresses of individuals, companies, organizations, and institutions (e.g. Encyclopedia of Associations)

Encyclopedia:  covers knowledge or branches of knowledge in a comprehensive, but summary fashion; useful for providing facts and giving a broad survey of a topic; written by specialists (e.g. World Book Encyclopedia)

Gazetteer:  a dictionary of geographical places (no maps) (e.g. Webster’s New Geographical Dictionary)

Guidebook:  provides detailed descriptions of places; intended primarily for the traveler; geographical facts plus maps (e.g. Great Lakes Guidebook)

Handbook:  treats one broad subject in brief, or gives a brief survey of a subject (e.g. Handbook of American Popular Culture)

Index:  lists citations to periodical articles, book, and proceedings, and tells where they can be found (e.g. Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature and New York Times Index)

Manual:  a specific work that tells how to do something, such as how something operates; descriptions of the inner workings of an organization (e.g. MLA Handbook, and Broadcast News Manual of Style)

Yearbook:  covers the trends and events of the previous year; may be general in coverage, limited to one subject, or restricted to one geographical area (e.g. State of America’s Children Yearbook)