Used Reference Books

Reference books are sources of endless information used for research, writing, and other academic and everyday tasks. They can include dictionaries, thesauruses, encyclopedias, medical and legal journals, trade publications, and more. Basically, reference books are anything that gives you information on a topic you seek.

Used reference books can also include student resources like Cliffs Notes. These short guides provide a synopsis of classic books and can be found used for as little as a $1. Dictionaries and thesauruses are also very popular used reference guides that are readily available.

When found at a library, reference books are non-circulating and must be reviewed on site because the demand is high to access them on a regular basis. A good alternative is to purchase used reference books that you can keep and use at your leisure. Also, you'll have the freedom to make notations as necessary--a luxury that library books don't afford.

Be Careful What You Buy
While used reference books can save you a lot of money, watch out for used encyclopedias, however. Encyclopedias that are more than five years old often contain outdated and sometimes inaccurate information that could cause you to incorrectly report facts in your research. Also, medical, legal and tax journals all base their findings on current research that changes yearly, so avoid buying really old versions of these unless they are to be used strictly as collector's items. For example, the 1911 version of Encyclopedia Britannica has become highly collectible and is actually one of the most sought-after reference books.