Emerald, Springer, EBSCO, JSTOR, Al-Manhal which have ebooks
in their websites. The Library has also a list of Open Access
resources that offer a wide range of ebooks available on its website.
5.2. Reference Books and How to Use Them
Definition
A reference book, such as a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a yearbook, or
a directory is compiled to provide facts or definite pieces of information
of varying length. A reference book is intended to be referred to rather
than read from cover to cover. (L.M. Harrod, The Librarian's Glossary.
London: Andre Deutsch, 1977. p.692). In other words, a reference book
would be used when a reader needs to know the meaning of a word (a
dictionary), or wants to learn about the life of an important person
(biographical dictionary). This is one reason why a reference book does
not circulate and is always kept in the library for all readers to use any
time they need it.
A reference work may be a one-volume or multi-volume book. It can be
also found in an electronic format of a CD-ROM.
The abbreviation Ref. printed on top of the call number found on the
spine of a book is the mark which distinguishes a reference book from
one that circulates and may be borrowed.
Arrangement
Material in a reference book is usually arranged in alphabetical order so
that topics may be located quickly and easily. Usually an index is
provided to serve as the direct guide to the thousands of topics treated in
the book, or to locate the smaller subdivisions of the larger subjects. An
important element in the arrangement of material in a reference book is
the Cross Reference. A cross reference will refer the reader from a
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subject entry that is not used to one that is used. The following is an
example from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Allies See Allied Powers
At the end of articles in reference books, bibliography is usually
provided.
Categories
Reference works fall into 2 categories:
1. General: Those which are broad in scope, not limited to any
single subject but cover all subject areas and branches of
knowledge. General encyclopedias such as Britannica and
Americana, handbooks, and yearbooks fall within this category.
2. Subject-related or specialized: Those which give detailed
information brought together from several sources on one
particular subject.
e.g. Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
Types of Reference Works
* Encyclopedias
An encyclopedia is a book or set of books that gives information on all
branches of knowledge or on one branch, generally in articles arranged
alphabetically and signed by the authors.
A good encyclopedia should have a subject index whether in a separate
volume, or at the back of the book, in order to locate topics easily. It is
important to use the subject index first because it shows in which
volumes and on what pages a particular subject is discussed.
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An encyclopedia, general or specialized, is a good