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Reference materials are various sources that provide background information or quick facts on any given topic.
There are many different types of resources, but here are a few examples:
Generally, physical print reference items (not online) in the Reference Collection may only be used within the library. They do not circulate. However, you may photocopy or scan these items at any of the copier stations.
If you find an item in the MSMU Libraries Catalog located in "Reference" it will be located at either:
These resources are great for fact-checking, quick and basic information, and topic overviews. They can also be a great place to start when researching a new topic that you are not familiar with. Finding basic information on a topic can help you understand what to look for in more advanced searches.
Academic encyclopedia and dictionary entries defining and introducing topics in all disciplines. Entries include images, topics, titles, and mind maps.
This database provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.
OED is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. A guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words past and present from across the English-speaking world.
Online reference materials spanning 25 diverse subject areas. Includes entries from the Oxford University Press Dictionaries, Companions, and Encyclopedias, and Oxford Reference series.