Reference works are valuable in the beginning phases of the research process. They can provide a broad overview of a topic, supply keywords and concepts that are useful in searching for books and articles, and list important works in the field to consult. Some reference works provide statistics, bibliographies, maps, or timelines.
Print reference works are located on the first floor of the library, opposite the Help Desk. They are arranged in call number order. History books typically have call beginning with the letters D, E, and F. See the Finding Books tab on this guide for more information on call and how to find books through the library catalog.
In either of these collections, you may narrow your field to History and do a search on a topic. Treatments of the topic will appear in various works for you to choose from.
Individual online reference works can be found in the library catalog by selecting the Books, Media & More tab on the library's homepage.
The following reference works can be found in the Databases section of the library's homepage, or from the direct links below.