Education

What is "Reference" and What is it Good For?

Reference books (dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, casebooks, etc.) are a great place to get quick facts or a concise overview of a subject. Consult them for background, context, identification of leading thinkers on a topic or field, and definitions. They're not intended to be read cover to cover! Bonus--they often include brief but excellent bibliographies that point you to further research on the subject.

We have many print reference books, but the vast majority in our collection are e-books that you can use from wherever you have internet connections.

NOTE: Most of Bethel's print reference books may be checked out for short periods.

Electronic Reference Sources

A selected list. Find many more titles in LibSearch.