Reference materials - such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, etc - can provide a good overview of a subject and lead you to further related resources, and are a great place to start your research.
A good way to get started on a topic is to look up some general information. This can help you narrow your topic, or generally inform you on the subject. This above search box will search the Library's dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference-type books. Note that the results page will list entries in the reference sources rather than the reference sources themselves.
Research Help Desk
During the Research Help Desk open hours, you can Ask Us a question via IM, email, or text message.
Instant Message: Click Here Email: Click Here Phone: 403-329-2263 Ph. (toll free): 877-382-7113 Text: 780-666-4622
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