Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other resources to help you discover basic information—names, dates, definitions, summaries, etc. These are good places to start when narrowing or choosing your topic, and when beginning research on an unfamiliar subject.
This is just a selection of the many reference resources we have in the library. For more options, visit the reference section in the Reading Room, search on your topic in the Five College Libraries Catalog, or ask a librarian for help!
Search by background information in the library catalog.
You can search Discover to find many more reference sources such as specialized encyclopedias. Perform a keyword search for your topic and add one of the following words: encyclopedia, dictionary, handbook, guide.