Reference sources are a great place to start your research when you need to gather initial information about a topic or get a rough overview of a subject so you can decide what areas to research further. Reference books and online tools are also excellent for looking up a quick fact, definition, or date, and they will often direct you to more sources.

If none of the recommended resources are quite what you're looking for, try a search in the library catalog for the subject you're researching and "reference", "handbook", "guide", or "companion" to see what reference materials we might have on the subject. Remember that you can always reach out to a librarian for help if your search doesn't turn up promising results!

Browse the list of selected core dictionaries and encyclopedias below to get started! Remember that you can also search the library catalog for your topic and "dictionary" or "encyclopedia" (e.g. Latin American music encyclopedia) to see if we have one that is more specific and relevant to your research.

Below is a list of education encyclopedias not specific to music. Many are online, but those that are in print can be found in the Social Sciences, Health, and Education Library located on the first floor of the Main Library building.