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How do I find reference sources?

A guide to finding online and print reference sources like dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.

Starting Points

Below are links to popular online reference sources (encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, etc.) Several of these resources can be cross-searched or browsed for discipline-specific reference sources.

For additional reference sources, visit our subject guides.

Reference Collections

Print reference books are located in the bookstacks and designated reference collections at our campus libraries. In Regenstein, humanities and social science reference collections are located on the 2nd-4th floors. Area Studies reference collections are on the 4th and 5th floors. The D'Angelo Law Library and Social Work Library also have reference collections.

Books in our reference collections are "Building Use Only and cannot be checked out of the Library. Reference materials in the book stacks or Mansueto Library can be checked out.