Library Reference Resources

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2. Imagine that you are planning a trip to
Hawaii this summer and need some
information to help you plan…

3. Types of Reference Tools
There are different reference resources you can
use to find different information to help you plan
your trip to Hawaii:
Ency T hesaurus
c lo p e Dictionary
d ia
A t la s A lm a n a c

4. Reference Section
Most libraries have a special collection
of books that are written to help you
quickly find information.
Where is the reference section located in
our library?

5. Dictionary
A dictionary provides information about
words.
 spelling
 pronunciation
 word meaning
 part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)
Entry words are in alphabetical order.
Guide words are the words at the top of
every page. They tell you the first and
last word on that page.

6. Dictionary
Use if you wonder:
“Where did this word come from?”
an adjective?”
“Is this word a noun or
“What does this word mean?”
“How do I pronounce this word?”

7. Thesaurus
Gives you words with similar or related meanings
Synonyms (words with almost the same meaning)
Antonyms (opposites)
Guide words
Sometimes provides sentence examples
Useful when writing (to make it more interesting)

8. Thesaurus
Use if you wonder:
“What is another word that means the
same things as…”

9. Encyclopedia
Usually a set of books
Organized alphabetically in
volumes
Specific topic
Contain general information about
famous people, places and things.

10. Encyclopedia
Use if you wonder:
“Where can I get an overview of World War II?
“What is a brief history of man’s journey into
space?”
“Who was Neil Armstrong?”

11. Almanac
Lots of quick facts and information
Very current
Published each year
Not alphabetical
Use index to find page
number

12. Almanac
Use if you wonder:
“What is the tallest…longest…oldest…?”
“What is the average temperature of this city in
May?”
“Where can I see a graph of the cities with the
most air pollution?”

13. Answer the following
questions to review what
you learned about
reference tools and how
these tools could help you
learn more about Hawaii
before your trip!

14. You know that you will say the word “beautiful” a lot on
your trip. Where could you look to find a different word to
use instead that means the same as “beautiful”?
a. Almanac
b. Encyclopedia
c. Thesaurus
d. Dictionary

15. Correct Answer:
c. – Thesaurus

16. Where could you look to find the average
temperature of Maui, Hawaii in July 2011?
a. Atlas
b. Encyclopedia
c. Dictionary
d. Almanac

17. Correct Answer:
d. – Almanac

18. To find which islands are next to
Maui you would use…
a. Almanac
b. Atlas
c. Thesaurus
d. Encyclopedia

19. Correct Answer:
b. – Atlas

20. Where would you look to find the
basic history of Hawaii and how it
became a state?
a. Dictionary
b. Almanac
c. Encyclopedia
d. Thesaurus

21. Correct Answer:
c. - Encyclopedia

22. To found out how to pronounce
the word “luau” I would use…
a. Almanac
b. Dictionary
c. Thesaurus
d. Atlas

23. Correct Answer:
b. - Dictionary

24. Summing up…
Now you know how to find information in reference books
to plan for your vacation.
With this knowledge, you can plan a trip anywhere in the
world.
Reading really can take you on an unforgettable journey!

25. REMEMBER!
Choose the best reference
resource to find information
quickly!