Reference Books

Right after I sent my email for the week, I received this question. I decided to just send a quick reply to that person only, but after a few minutes of checking my reference section I decided to send this to all of you.

Question: What do you include in your reference section besides the obvious encyclopedias and other large sets?

Response: First you need to decide the purpose for your reference section. Do you want items in there that are protected and do not circulate? Or do you want a handy place to find information quickly? If it is a combination of both types of reference, mark clearly the items that do not leave the library.

Certainly we have encyclopedias in reference. We also have dictionaries, thesauri, and world record books. One rule of thumb is to include in the reference section items that you can’t easily afford to lose. If you have books that provide a brief overview of a subject or give general information on a variety of subjects, they could also go in reference. Books that you can pick up and get a quick answer would be a good reference book. Here in my library we also have Ellen G. White’s books in the reference section. We put them there because they are used as a reference, but they are items that can be checked out. Encyclopedias are not checked out individually, but a teacher may check out the whole set on a rolling cart for classroom use.

I hope this helps answer your question.
Audrey