Reference work

{{Short description|Publication to which one can refer for confirmed facts}}

{{About|a kind of publication|the work that librarians perform at a library reference desk|Reference desk}}

File:2010-09 CPOV IMG 6251.JPG}}, the best-known traditional reference book in German-speaking countries]]

File:LexikondesMittelalters.JPG}}, a specialised German encyclopedia]]

File:Encyclopaedia Britannica 15 with 2002.jpg, 15th edition: volumes of the Propedia (green), Micropedia (red), Macropedia (black), and 2-volume Index (blue)]]

A reference work is a document, such as a paper, book or periodical (or their electronic equivalents), to which one can refer for information.{{Cite dictionary |title=reference |encyclopedia=Merriam-Webster |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reference |access-date=January 22, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829155411/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reference |archive-date=August 29, 2024}} The information is intended to be found quickly when needed. Such works are usually referred to for particular pieces of information, rather than read beginning to end. The writing style used in these works is informative; the authors avoid opinions and the use of the first person, and emphasize facts.

Indices are a common navigation feature in many types of reference works. Many reference works are put together by a team of contributors whose work is coordinated by one or more editors, rather than by an individual author. Updated editions are usually published as needed, in some cases annually, such as Whitaker's Almanack, and Who's Who.

Reference works include textbooks, almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, biographical sources, catalogs such as library catalogs and art catalogs, concordances, dictionaries, directories such as business directories and telephone directories, discographies, encyclopedias, filmographies, gazetteers, glossaries, handbooks, indices such as bibliographic indices and citation indices, manuals, research guides, thesauruses, and yearbooks.{{Cite book |last=Reitz |first=Joan |url=https://odlis.abc-clio.com/odlis_r.html |title=Dictionary for Library and Information Science |date=2004 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=9781591580751 |chapter=Reference |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207060303/https://odlis.abc-clio.com/odlis_r.html#refbook |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |url-status=live |via=ABC-CLIO}} Reference works, while traditionally printed, are often available in electronic form and can be obtained as reference software, CD-ROMs, DVDs, or online through the Internet. Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, is both the largest and the most-read reference work in history.{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/international/2021/01/09/wikipedia-is-20-and-its-reputation-has-never-been-higher |title=Wikipedia is 20, and its reputation has never been higher |date=9 January 2021 |newspaper=The Economist |access-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-date=31 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231224550/https://www.economist.com/international/2021/01/09/wikipedia-is-20-and-its-reputation-has-never-been-higher |url-status=live }}

Library reference book

In most public and academic libraries, reference books are usually not available to be borrowed by patrons like the rest of the library's holdings. Reference books are either used very frequently—a dictionary or an atlas, for example—or very infrequently, such as a highly specialized concordance. Because some reference books are consulted by patrons too frequently to have enough copies and others so infrequently that replacing it would be difficult, libraries prefer to make them available for photocopy rather than checkout.{{Cite web |title=Why are some books non-circulating or in-library use? |url=https://ask.library.harvard.edu/faq/82471 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240707101140/https://ask.library.harvard.edu/faq/82471 |archive-date=July 7, 2024 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |website=Harvard Library}}

Types of reference work

The main types and categories of reference works include:

Abstracting journal – a published summary of articles, theses, reviews, conference proceedings etc. arranged systematically
Almanac – an annual publication, listing a set of current, general or specific information about one or multiple subjects
Annals – concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically
Atlas – a collection of maps traditionally been bound into book form
Bibliography – a systematic list of books and other works such as journal articles on a given subject or which satisfy particular criteria
Biographical dictionary – an encyclopedic dictionary limited to biographical information
Books of Quotations – collections of quotations satisfying particular criteria, arranged systematically
Chronicle/Chronology – a historical account of events arranged in chronological order
Compendium – a concise collection of information pertaining to a body of knowledge
Concordance – an alphabetical list of the principal words used in a book or body of work
Dictionary – a list of words from one or more languages, systematically arranged and giving meanings, etymologies etc.
Digest – a summary of information on a particular subject
Directory – a systematically arranged list of names, addresses, products, etc.
Business directory
Telephone directory
Web directory
Encyclopaedia – a compendium providing summaries of knowledge either from all branches or from a particular field or discipline
Gazetteer – a geographical dictionary or directory used to provide systematic access to a map or atlas
Glossary – an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms
Handbook – a small or portable book intended to provide ready reference
Index – a publication giving systematic access to a body of knowledge
Lexicon – a synonym for a dictionary or encyclopaedic dictionary
List – a published enumeration of a set of items
Manual – a handbook providing instructions in the use of a particular product
Phrase book – a collection of ready-made phrases, arranged systematically, usually for a foreign language together with a translation
Ready reckoner – a printed book or table containing pre-calculated values
Thematic catalogue – an index used to identify musical compositions through the citation of the opening notes
Textbook – a reference work containing information about a subject
Thesaurus – a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words
Timetable – a published list of schedules giving times for transportation or other events
Yearbook – a compendium containing events relating to a specific year

Electronic resources

An electronic resource is a computer program or data that is stored electronically, which is usually found on a computer, including information that is available on the Internet.{{Cite book |last=Reitz |first=Joan |url=https://odlis.abc-clio.com/odlis_e.html |title=Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science |date=2004 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=9781563089626 |chapter=Electronic Resource |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207050526/https://odlis.abc-clio.com/odlis_e.html |archive-date=7 December 2024 |url-status=live}} Libraries offer numerous types of electronic resources including electronic texts such as electronic books and electronic journals, bibliographic databases, institutional repositories, websites, and software applications.

References

= General =

{{cite book |editor-last=Higgens |editor-first=Gavin |title=Printed Reference Material |series=Handbooks on Library Practice |publisher=Library Association |location=London |year=1984 |edition=2nd revised |isbn=978-0853659952}}
{{cite book |last=Katz |first=William A. |author-link=William Katz (librarian) |title=Introduction to Reference Work, Volume 1: Basic Information Services |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York |year=2001 |edition=8th |isbn=978-0072441079}}
{{cite book |last=Katz |first=William A. |title=Introduction to Reference Work, Volume 2: Reference Services and Reference Processes |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York |year=2001 |edition=8th |isbn=978-0072441437 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontore00will_0 }}
{{cite book |last=Lynch |first=Jack |title=You Could Look It Up: The Reference Shelf From Ancient Babylon to Wikipedia |publisher=Bloomsbury Press|location=New York |year=2016 |isbn=978-0802777522}}

= Guides to reference works =

{{cite book |editor-last=Chenoweth |editor-first=Juneal M. |title=American Reference Books Annual |date=24 June 2019 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |location=Santa Barbara, California |isbn=978-1-4408-6913-6}} Published annually beginning in 1970.
{{cite book |last=Heeks |first=Peggy |title=Books of Reference for School Libraries: An Annotated List |publisher=Library Association |location=London |asin=B0006C36OO |year=1968 |edition=2nd}}
{{cite book |editor-last=Lester |editor-first=Ray |title=New Walford Guide to Reference Resources, Volume 1: Science, Technology, and Medicine |publisher=Neal-Schuman Publishers |location=New York |year=2005 |isbn=978-1856044950 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse }}
{{cite book |editor-last1=Lester |editor-first1=Ray |editor-last2=Clinch |editor-first2=Peter |editor-last3=Dawson |editor-first3=Heather |editor-last4=Edwards |editor-first4=Helen |editor-last5=Tarrant |editor-first5=Susan |title=New Walford Guide to Reference Resources, Volume 2: Social Sciences |publisher=Facet Publishing |location=London |year=2007 |isbn=978-1856044981 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newwalfordguidet0001unse }}
{{cite book |editor-last=Lester |editor-first=Ray |title=New Walford Guide to Reference Resources, Volume 3: Arts, Humanities, and General Reference |publisher=Facet Publishing |location=London |year = 2015 |isbn= 978-1856044998}}
{{cite book |last=Malclès |first=Louise Noëlle |author-link=Louise Noëlle Malclès |title=Les sources du travail bibliographique |language=French |publisher=Librairie Droz |location=Geneva |year=1950}}
{{cite book |last=Sheehy |first=Eugene P. |author-link=Eugene P. Sheehy |title=Guide to Reference Books |publisher=American Library Association |location=Chicago |isbn=978-0838902059 |year=1976 |edition=9th}} Originally compiled by Alice B. Kroeger for first two editions beginning in 1902. Subsequently, edited by Isadore Gilbert Mudge (3rd through 6th editions) and Constance Mabel Winchell (7th and 8th editions).
{{cite book |last1=Totok |first1=Wilhelm |last2=Weitzel | first2=Rolf|title=Handbuch der bibliographischen Nachschlagewerke |publisher=Klostermann |location=Frankfurt am Main |year=1984–1985 |edition=6th |language=German}} First published in 1954.
{{cite book |editor-last=Walford |editor-first=A. J. |title=Walford's Guide to Reference Material, Volume 1: Science and Technology |publisher=Library Association |location=London |year=1980 |isbn=9780853656111 |edition=4th |author-link=John Walford (librarian) |url=https://archive.org/details/walfordsguidetor01libr |url-access=registration}}
{{cite book |editor-last1=Walford |editor-first1=A. J. |editor-last2=Taylor |editor-first2=L. J. |title=Walford's Guide to Reference Material, Volume 2: Generalia, Language and Literature, The Arts |publisher=Library Association |location=London |year=1987 |edition=4th |url=https://archive.org/details/walfordsguidetor00ajwa |url-access=registration}}
{{cite book|editor=Walford, A. J.|title= Walford's Concise Guide to Reference Material|location= London |publisher= Library Association |date= 1981}} (an abridgement of Walford's Guide)

External links

{{Commonscatinline|Reference works}}