reference library
noun
1
: a collection of books often about a particular subject
2
: a library that lets people use books on the premises but does not allow books to be taken out
Examples of reference library in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Results obtained through Origin ID are assessed against a proprietary reference library database.
—
Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 12 Aug. 2025
He was raised on a dairy farm in Minnesota and was the eldest of eight children, according to the legislative reference library.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
The winner will receive $50,000 in cash from Scripps, $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster and $400 worth of reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica, according to Scripps.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 30 May 2025
African American Museum and Library, Oakland Housed in Oakland’s former main library, this special reference library is home to 16,000 books by or about African Americans, 70,000 photographs, a rare book collection and an archive of 160 special collections.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2025
In short, the information center was a reference library, staffed with reference librarians, of the sort that would become commonplace in the 1980s.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Dec. 2024
Back in January, a report by the digital reference library company DataReportal revealed that U.S. adults aged 16 to 64 spend an average of six hours and 40 minutes browsing the internet on any device.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
According to Scripps, the prizes for the first-place winner include a $50,000 cash prize from the organization, a $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster (where the bee pulls its collection of words) and $400 worth of reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
And through a new connector, the public will now be able to go from the museum to the art reference library without going outside.
—Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2024
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Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 12 Aug. 2025
He was raised on a dairy farm in Minnesota and was the eldest of eight children, according to the legislative reference library.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 22 July 2025
The winner will receive $50,000 in cash from Scripps, $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster and $400 worth of reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica, according to Scripps.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 30 May 2025
African American Museum and Library, Oakland Housed in Oakland’s former main library, this special reference library is home to 16,000 books by or about African Americans, 70,000 photographs, a rare book collection and an archive of 160 special collections.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2025
In short, the information center was a reference library, staffed with reference librarians, of the sort that would become commonplace in the 1980s.
—IEEE Spectrum, 12 Dec. 2024
Back in January, a report by the digital reference library company DataReportal revealed that U.S. adults aged 16 to 64 spend an average of six hours and 40 minutes browsing the internet on any device.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
According to Scripps, the prizes for the first-place winner include a $50,000 cash prize from the organization, a $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster (where the bee pulls its collection of words) and $400 worth of reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
And through a new connector, the public will now be able to go from the museum to the art reference library without going outside.
—Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Reference library.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reference%20library. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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