Reference materials, such as handbooks, specialized encyclopedias, subject dictionaries, atlases, etc., provide objective background information, quick facts, statistics, biographies, and more. When searching the catalog, limit the results to Reference.

Research TIPs

To Find Print Reference Books - Search the catalog or browse the shelves.

• Go to the library catalog. Key in a search. Under View Entire Collection, choose Reference Collection. (Note: The results include print books in the Reference Collection, but do not include reference ebooks.)
• Browse the print books on the shelves in the Reference Collection. For call number sections, go to the opens new window Library of Congress Classification Outline and drill down to specific call numbers that match your subject.

To Find Reference Ebooks - Search the catalog or ebook databases.

• Go to the library catalog. Key in a search and add the word reference to your search. Under View Entire Collection, choose Ebooks.
• Select a reference ebook database listed below, then browse or search ebook titles in the database.

Search a person (e.g., Svante Arrhenius), keyword, or subject.

The Credo Mind Map below shows results for the topic toxicology.

Search a topic such as wildlife conservation in all Gale Ebooks, or browse book titles, select a book, and then search within one book.

Search the library catalog to find the records for the titles below.

Try a search for wildlife conservation.