Reference Sources

Week 5-6Encyclopedias

Dictionaries

Almanacs

AtlasesDirectories

IndexesHandbooks

● Reference Sources

● In addition to Topic Development we also look at Reference Sources during Weeks 5 and 6

Reference Section of Library● Reference books are

often found in a separate section of the library, called ‘Reference’

Reference Section of Library

Our own Reference section at Rio Hondo Library!

http://www.slideshare.net/libtutorials101rhc/virtual-library-tour-30555191

Reference Source types

● Two major types:– Encyclopedias– Dictionaries

● Other Types:– Almanacs, Directories, Indexes,

Atlases [plus several specialized types]

Encyclopedias

Concise, factual overviews on a vast number of topics

Includes both general and subject specific encyclopedias

World Book Encyclopedia – widely used in public and school [K-12] libraries

Subject Specific EncyclopediasGeneral Encyclopedias

Dictionaries

A type of Reference book that contains shorter definitions or descriptions.

Includes both language dictionaries and subject specific dictionaries

Language dictionaries Subject Specific dictionaries

Other Types of Reference Sources

Almanacs – brief informative facts about many subjects

Use almanacs for: facts and statistics

Atlases

Atlases – maps of all kinds, with facts about countries, cities, regions of world

Use atlases for: maps, facts about world countries, regions, states or cities

Also can include specific subjects – types of animals, environment, resources

Directories

Directories – compilation of names, addresses, companies

Use directories for: lists of names, addresses, information about services, companies, organizations

Indexes

Indexes – list of topics with directions to locations [within book, or within collection

Use indexes for: locating books or resources in a collection

Reader’s Guide – formerly the only way to look up articles! You won’t see this much anymore, because now online databases provide much of our access to periodicals.But this used to be a standard library resource [we have copies at the RHC Library]

Types of Information and Reference Sources

For information about... Choose...

Words Dictionaries

General information/Overview of topic Encyclopedias

Names & addresses of people, organizations, institutions, companies Directories

Profiles of people Biographical Dictionaries

Places/Maps Gazetteers or Atlases

Facts and Statistics Almanacs

Formula, Tables, How-To-Do-It Handbooks and Manuals

A person's work Reviews or Criticisms

Dates, outlines, historical timelines Historical tables, Chronologies, Historical yearbooks

Periodical Articles Indexes or Abstracts

Books and other sources Bibliographies or Guides to Literature...

**From http://library.uaf.edu/ls101-reference-services

Sources for Encyclopedias

Our online RHC catalog http://rioh.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/

– Contains records for encyclopedias, dictionaries and annuals available in print in the library collection

RHC CatalogFind encyclopedias in our online catalogue (search by ‘encyclopedia’ and topic or subject):

RHC Catalog

encyclopedia psychology Search results:

RHC Catalog – another example

dictionary english

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Gale Virtual Reference Library from AccessRio

– Contains encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference source types

– Searchable and encyclopedia entries available full-text in the database

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Specific titles Subject areas

Specific title

● Gale Virtual Reference Library

Entries within encyclopedia

● Gale Virtual Reference Library

Table of Contents within encyclopedia

Most reference sources provide comprehensive --tables of contents--indexesin which you can look up the keywords or concepts you are seeking.

● Gale Virtual Reference Library

Index within encyclopedia

● Print Table of Contents and Index

Index within print source