Library 101 - Your Guide to Library Resources

Select Resources - Background Information

Finding Background Information on your topic!

What are Reference Sources?
Materials used to find background information on a topic quickly. The most frequently used reference sources include encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, almanacs, and biographical sources, atlases, chronologies.

What is an encyclopedia?
A book or set of books of information articles usually arranged in alphabetical order that provide background discussion and give a general overview of a subject. These can be general (Encyclopedia Britannica), or specialized (Encyclopedia of Psychology).

Britannica Online
Library's online subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica.

What is a dictionary?
A book that gives definitions of words. Dictionaries may be general (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary), or specialized (Dictionary of American Penology).

What is a handbook?
A collection of useful information including statistics, definitions, and other kinds of things focusing on a particular field or discipline. Examples include: Handbook of Educational Psychology or the South American Handbook.

What is an almanac?
Almanacs are usually annuals, which means that a new edition is published every year. They are a collection of facts, data, charts, lists, and statistics. Almanacs may be general (The World Almanac and Book of Facts),or specialized(The Almanac of Higher Education).

What are biographical sources?
Biographies give us information about the history of a person's life and their accomplishments. Biographical sources may be general (American National Biography), or specialized (Dictionary of Literary Biography). Explore the Biographical Resources Subject Guide for more information!

What are atlases?
Collections of maps that contain physical features of a city, state or country. There are various types of atlases: general atlases (Rand McNally Road Atlas: United States, Canada, and Mexico) world atlases (The Times Atlas of the World), historical atlases (The Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia), and subject atlases (Atlas of South America).

What are chronologies?
Books that present information organized by date. Chronologies cover events over time that may occur hundreds of years ago or just for a short period of time. Examples include: A Dictionary of Dates and Day by Day, The Eighties.