Reference About the Reference Department Reference service is available whenever the library is open. The department is staffed by two professional librarians and one paraprofessional, who assist patrons in locating and using resources both within and beyond the library. Reference staff is available to instruct patrons in the use of the online catalog, the Internet, and other electronic resources.
Staff also offers reader advisory service and respond to mail and telephone inquiries.
The print collection contains standard general and specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, directories, and biographical sources. A separate Business Reference area includes directories of local and national companies, Moody's manuals, tax guides, and investment resources like Value Line and Morningstar Mutual Funds. Current Massachusetts telephone directories are available in print form. White and yellow pages for the U.S. are available on CD-ROM and via the Internet. Back files of the Boston Globe are indexed and available on microfilm from 1988 forward.