Many books on English will be in the P section of the library.
Inside Paradise Lost by 
Image copyright Julie Ann Johnson, used under the terms of a CC BY 2.0 license.
This guide is designed to help you get started on your research in English Literature. If you have any questions or want to set up an appointment to meet for more help, please contact a librarian.
The Oxford English Dictionary by 
Encyclopedia of Rhetoric by 
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms by Reference books like dictionaries and encyclopedias are great ways to get background information on your topic. Looking up your topic can get you biographical or historical information, general concepts, lists of works, and related terms depending on your topic.
The type of information you gather from reference sources is seldom the kind of critical analysis your professors are looking for in your papers. Use reference sources to become familiar with your topic so that you can search smarter when you look for books and articles. You should generally refrain from using them in your papers. Situations vary, so if you're unsure, check with your instructor.
Phone: 540-887-7085
Text: 540-300-4622
Email: ask@marybaldwin.edu
If you find an item you want but Grafton doesn't own it, you can request the item through interlibrary loan using the "Request Item through Interlibrary Loan" button.
Interlibrary loan allows Grafton to borrow books and articles from other libraries on your behalf. It may take a few days, but it drastically increases the number of sources available to you!
