This article is about a kind of publication. Reference work may also refer to the work that librarians perform at a library reference desk.

This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the German Wikipedia. (May 2012) Don't speak German? Click here to read a machine-translated version of the German article. Click [show] on the right to review important translation instructions before translating. Google's machine translation is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. After translating, {{Translated|de|Nachschlagewerk}} must be added to the talk page to ensure copyright compliance. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

  The Brockhaus Enzyklopädie, the best known traditional reference book in German-speaking countries

  The Lexikon des Mittelalters (Dictionary of the Middle Ages), a specialised German encyclopedia

  Encyclopædia Britannica, 15th edition: volumes of the Propedia (green), Micropedia (red), Macropedia, and 2-volume Index (blue)

A reference work is a book or serial publication to which you can refer for confirmed facts.^[1] The information is intended to be found quickly when needed. Reference 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 use of the first person, and emphasize facts. Many reference works are compiled by a team of contributors whose work is coordinated by one or more editors rather than by an individual author. Indexes are commonly provided in many types of reference work. Updated editions are usually published as needed, in some cases annually (e.g. Whitaker's Almanack, Who's Who. Reference works include dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, almanacs, bibliographies, and catalogs (e.g. catalogs of libraries, museums or the works of individual artists).^[2] Many reference works are available in electronic form and can be obtained as software packages or online through the Internet.

  Reference book

In comparison, a reference book or reference-only book in a library is one that may only be used in the library and not borrowed from the library. Many such books are reference works (in the first sense) which are usually used only briefly or photocopied from, and therefore do not need to be borrowed. Keeping them in the library assures that they will always be available for use on demand. Other reference-only books are books that are too valuable to permit borrowers to take them out. Reference-only items may be shelved in a reference collection located separately from circulating items.

Some libraries consist entirely or to a large extent of books which may not be borrowed; these include national libraries and many special libraries.

  Electronic resources

Electronic resources is information stored in the form of electrical signals and is usually found on a computer. This includes information available on the internet.^[3] Libraries offer many types of electronic resources, including subject research guides, indexes, electronic books and texts, electronic journals, library catalogs, reference sources, statistical sources, sound recordings and image databases.^[4]

  References

1. ^ Farlex. "The Free Dictionary by Farlex". http://wwwxcom/reference+work. Retrieved 2 May 2012. 
2. ^ The University of Santo Tomas Miguel de Benavides Library. "The Reference Materials". http://library.ust.edu.ph/pages/reference.html. Retrieved 3 May 2012. 
3. ^ AllWords.com. "Electronic Resources". http://www.allwords.com/word-electronic+resource.html. 
4. ^ The University of Chicago Library. "Types of Electronic Resources". http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/net/types.html. Retrieved 3 May 2012. 

  Further reading

General

• American Reference Books Annual: ARBA. Littleton, Col.: Libraries Unlimited, 1970-
• Bergenholtz, H., Nielsen, S., Tarp, S. (eds.): Lexicography at a Crossroads: Dictionaries and Encyclopedias Today, Lexicographical Tools Tomorrow. Peter Lang 2009. ISBN 978-3-03911-799-4
• Higgens, G., ed. (1980) Printed Reference Material (Handbooks on Library Practice.) London: Library Association
• Katz, W. A. (1978) Introduction to Reference Work; 3rd ed. 2 vols. New York: McGraw-Hill
• Nielsen, Sandro "The Effect of Lexicographical Information Costs on Dictionary Making and Use". In: Lexikos 18 (2008), 170-189.

Guides to reference works

Sheehy's Guide is less international in its scope than Walford: "It seems that Walford is a somewhat better balanced work than Winchell, and is certainly much more comprehensive"--American Reference Books Annual, quoted in Walford, A. J. (1981) Walford's Concise Guide to Reference Material. London: Library Association ISBN 0-85365-882-X; p. 19.

• Heeks, P., comp. ((1968) Books of Reference for School Libraries: an annotated list; 2nd ed. London: Library Association (a basic list of 301 annotated entries useful for any small library)
• Malclès, L.-N. (1950) Les sources du travail bibligraphique. 3 vols. in 4. Geneva: Droz, 1950-58 (reissued by Minard, Paris, & French & European Publications, New York, 1966)
• Sheehy, E. P. et al., comps. (1976) Guide to Reference Books; 9th ed. Chicago: American Library Association; Supplement, 1980 (began with a guide compiled by A. B. Kroeger, 1917; 3rd-6th eds. by I. G. Mudge; 7th & 8th by C. M. Winchell)
• Totok, W. & Weitzel, R. (1972) Handbuch der bibliographischen Nachschlagewerke; 4. Aufl., hrg. von W. Totok, K.-H. Weimann, R. Weitzel. Frankfurt am Main: Klostermann (1st ed. 1954)
• Day, Alan (editor) (1998) (3 vols.). Walford's Guide to Reference Material. London: Library Association Publishing. 
• Walford, A. J. (1980-82). Walford's Guide to Reference Material (4th ed.). London: Library Association.