Reference Collection
Subject index
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - JK - L - M - NO - P - Q - R - S - T - UV - W - XYZ
The National Library maintains an extensive open access reference collection, available in the Main Reading Room, consisting of encyclopaedias, dictionaries, travel guides, biographies, company information, and many other works of reference.
The Reference Collection is arranged on the shelves in the Main Reading Room numerically by Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). Each row of shelving has a label which provides a summary of the DDC numbers in that row.
This subject index will assist you to locate relevant reference tools in this collection. The listing is arranged alphabetically by topic and provides a pointer to the Dewey number(s) most appropriate for finding references works on your topic. Some major reference works are also included and listed by title.
A
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Accounting | 657 |
Acronyms/abbreviations (General) |
423 and 060.148 |
Acronyms/abbreviations ( Journals and periodicals) |
050.148 |
Agriculture/animal husbandry |
630+ |
Airline/shipping/railway guides |
385 - 387 |
Almanacs/quick facts |
032 |
Animals |
590 - 599 and 630+ |
Anniversaries, national holidays |
394 |
| Annual bibliography of English language and literature | 820.16 ANN |
Anthropology |
301 and 305.8 |
Antiques/collectables |
740 - 749 |
APAIS (Australian Public Affairs Information Service) 1952-2000 |
016.3 (1978+ available online) |
| Archaeology | 913 and 930 |
Architecture |
720 - 729 |
Arts |
700 - 709 and 750 - 759 |
| Arts - biography | 709 and 759.2 |
| Arts - dictionaries and encyclopaedias | 703 |
Arts, Australian |
709.94 |
Associations/organisations guides |
060 - 068 |
| Associations, Australian | 068.94 |
| Associations, A.C.T. | 068.9471 |
| Astronomy | 520 |
Atlases (see also Atlas cabinet outside the Interview Room in the Main Reading Room) |
911-912 (Further atlases are held in the Map Reading Room on LG1 floor) |
| Australian Dictionary of Biography | 920.094 AUS |
Australian government publications |
015.94 and 328.94 / See also GovPubs |
Australian National Bibliography |
015.94 |
Australian Periodicals in Print |
011.34 |
| Australian politics | 320.994+ / See also Australian Politics and Government: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
| Australian Rules Football | 796.336+ |
Automobiles |
629.2 |
| Aviation | 629.13 |
Awards/prizes/grants |
001 .4+ |
B
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Ballet | 792.8+ |
| Banks and Banking | 332.1 - 332.6 |
| Bible | 220+ |
Biography (see also each subject area) |
920+ |
| Biography - Australian | 920.01 WHO and 920.094 / See also Australian Biography: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
Biology |
570 - 579 |
| Birds | 598.2+ |
Book Price Guides |
018.3 |
Book Review Digest |
015.73 |
Book review indexes |
001.3, 015.73 and 028 |
Book trade/publishing |
655 |
Books in Print (Australian) |
015.94 (Also available as ANZBIP database) |
Books in Print (British) |
015.42 WHI |
| Books in Print (Canadian) | 015.71 CAN |
| Books in Print (French) | 015.44 LIV |
| Books in Print (German) | 015.43 VER |
| Books in Print (Indian) | 015.54 IND |
| Books in Print (International) | 017.8 INT |
| Books in Print (Italian) | 015.45 CAT |
Books in Print (United States) |
015.73 PUB |
| Botany | 581+ |
| British Library Catalogue | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Library building |
British National Bibliography |
015.42 |
| British parliamentary publications | 328.42 / See also British Parliamentary Publications and Information |
Building |
690 |
Business/Commerce |
650 (See also Companies 332 - 338) |
Business Periodicals Index |
650.016 |
Business management |
658 |
C
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Canberra - history etc. | 994.7 |
Cars |
629.2 |
| Charities/Foundations | 001.4 and 361.7 |
Chemistry |
540 - 549 and 660 - 669 |
| Chess | 794.1+ |
Children's Books in Print |
028.52 |
Choice 1964-1996 |
339.405 (1997+ request through catalogue. For current issues ask at Information Desk) |
Chronologies/dates |
909 |
- Australian |
994 .002+ |
| Churches - directories | 280 - 286 |
Clocks and watches, antique |
681 and 739 |
Coins |
737 |
| Collectables/antiques | 740 - 749 |
| Colloquialisms/slang | 427.9+ |
| Commerce/Business | 650+ (See also Companies 332 - 338) |
Company guides and information |
338.4 - 338.8 and 332's / See also Australian Companies: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
Computing |
001 - 005 and 651 |
Constitutions of countries, territories etc. |
342.008 |
Contemporary Authors |
809 CON |
Contemporary Literary Criticism |
809.04 CON |
Cooking |
640 - 642 |
Costume/fashion |
391 |
| Crafts | 745 |
| Cricket | 796.358 |
Criminology |
363 - 364 |
| Current Biography | 920.01 CUR |
D
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Dance |
792 - 793 |
| Defence/Military | 355-359, 622 and 629 |
Demography |
310+ |
Design |
745.2 - 747 |
| Dewey classification -guides | 025.431 |
Dictionaries - English |
420 - 429 |
Dictionaries - Bilingual |
440 - 499 |
Diplomacy/Foreign Affairs |
327 |
| Drama | 809.2 (See also Theatre 792 - 793) |
Drug/medicine guides |
615 |
E
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Earth sciences (Geology etc.) |
550 - 551 and 622 |
Economics |
330 - 339 |
Education |
370 - 379 |
| Elections etc. | 324+ |
| Electoral rolls | Held in Newspaper/Microform Reading Room. / See also Australian Electoral Rolls: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
Electronics |
621 |
| Encyclopaedia Britannica | 031 (Also available online) |
| Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia | 994.0049915 E58 (Also available online) |
Encyclopedias (General) |
030's |
Engineering |
620 - 629 |
Environment |
304.2, 333+, 363.7, 574.5+ and 628.5 |
| Ethics | 170 - 179 |
Etiquette/protocol |
395 |
| Etymology (origins of words and language) | 422+ |
Europa Yearbook |
314 EUR |
| European Union statistical publications | 314+ |
F
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Family history/genealogy |
929 (Many family history reference works are held in the Newspaper/Microform Reading Room). |
Fashion/Costume |
391 |
| Fauna | 590 - 599 |
Film/television |
791 - 792 |
| Fishing | 799.1 |
Flora |
580 - 589 |
| Fodor's travel guides | 914 - 919 |
Folklore/mythology |
398 |
Food/nutrition |
641 - 642 and 664 |
| Football (all codes) | 796.33+ |
Foreign affairs |
327 |
G
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Games | 796 |
| Gardening | 635 |
| Gazetteers (place names) | 910+ |
| Gazetteers - Australian | 919.4+ |
Geography/travel |
914 - 919 |
| Geology/Earth Sciences | 550 - 551 and 622 |
| Golf | 796.352 |
| Government/Politics | 320 - 329 |
Government directories |
352 - 354 |
| Government publications - Australia | 015.94 and 328.94 / See also GovPubs |
| Gray's Anatomy | 611 G779 |
| Groves Dictionary of Music... | 780.3 N532 |
Guidelines 1969-1998 |
011.34 |
| Guinness Book of Records | 032.02 GUI |
H
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Halsbury's Laws of Australia | 349.94 H196 (Also available online) |
Health |
610 - 615 and 362 |
Heraldry |
929.7+ |
| Historical Records of Australia | 994 HIS |
| Historical Records of Victoria | 994.5 HIS |
History |
900 - 909 and 930 - 999 |
History - Africa |
960 - 969 |
History - Americas |
970 - 989 |
History - Asia |
950 - 959 |
History - Australia |
994 / See also Australian History: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
| History - Canberra | 994.7 |
History - Europe |
943 - 949 |
History - Great Britain |
942 |
| History of Australia (Manning Clark) | 994 CLA |
Horticulture/gardening |
632 |
| Hotels/Accomodation | 387.05, 647+ and 919.4 |
Human rights |
323.4 and 341.481 |
I
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Industrial relations |
331 and 344.01 |
International law |
341 |
International organisations (yearbooks) |
341.1058 and 341.2625 |
Inventions |
608 - 609 |
J
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Janes guides (Defence/Military) |
623 and 629 |
| Jazz | 781.65 |
Journal titles - abbreviations and lists |
050.148 |
L
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Language/linguistics |
400 - 499 |
Law |
340 - 349 / See also GovPubs |
| Law - Australian - guides, encyclopedias | 349.94 |
| Laws of Australia | 349.94 (Also available online via Firstpoint) |
| League of Nations | 341.22+ |
| Legislation - Australia - Consolidated Acts 1900-1973 | 345.94 / See also AUSTLII |
| Legislation - Australian Capital Territory | 345.947 / See also AUSTLII |
Leisure/recreation |
790 |
Librarianship |
020 - 029 |
Library Catalogues |
|
| - British Library | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
| - Mitchell Library | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
| - National Union Catalogue Pre 1956 Holdings (North American Libraries) | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
Library guides |
026 - 027 |
Life sciences/medicine |
610 - 619 |
Lingustics |
400 - 410 |
Literature (general) |
800 - 809 |
Literature - American |
810 - 819 |
Literature - English/Australian |
820 - 829 / See also Australian Literature: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
Literature - Other Languages |
830 - 899 |
| Lonely Planet travel guides | 914 - 919 |
M
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Management |
650 - 658 |
| Maps (see also Atlas cabinet outside the Interview Room in the Main Reading Room) | Atlases held. 911-912 (Further atlases and more detailed maps are held in the Map Reading Room on LG1 floor) |
| Marketing | 658.8 |
Mathematics |
510 |
| Medals | 355.13 and 737.22+ |
Media guides |
070 and 302 |
Medical dictionaries |
610 |
| Medicines/Drugs | 615 |
Meeting procedure |
658 |
Military/defence |
355 - 359 and 622 |
| MIMS (Australian drug/medicines guide) | 615 MIM |
| Mitchell Library Catalogue | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
| Mottoes | 080 |
Museums |
069 and 708 |
Music |
780 - 789 |
| Music - popular | 781.63+ |
Mythology |
291 and 398 |
N
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Names, Personal |
929.4 |
| National Union Catalogue Pre 1956 Holdings (North American Libraries) | On separate shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
O
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Olympics | 796.48 |
| Opera | 782.1+ |
| Orders and medals | 355.13, 737.22+ and 929.71 |
| Ornithology (birds) | 598.2+ |
| Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | 920.041 D554 (Also available online) |
P
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Painting |
750 - 759 |
PAIS - Public Affairs Information Service Cumulative subject index 1915-1974 |
011.34 |
Parapsychology |
133 |
| Parliamentary handbooks (Australian) | 328.94 AUS |
Parliamentary papers, indexes -Australian |
328.94 / See also GovPubs |
Parliamentary papers, indexes - British |
328.42 / See also British Parliamentary Publications and Information |
Peace studies |
327 |
Periodical titles - abbreviations and lists |
050 |
Philosophy |
100 - 140 and 160-199 |
| Phone books | Current Australian issues on shelves on the "Treasury" side of the Main Reading Room |
Photography |
770 - 779 |
| Phrases/cliches | 423.1 |
Physics |
530 -539 |
Pinpointer 1963-1987 |
011.34 |
Place names/gazeteers |
910.3 |
| Place names - Australian | 919.4+ |
Plants |
580 - 589 |
Play Index |
808.82016 |
Poetry indexes |
808.81 |
| Political Parties | 329+ |
Politics/government |
320 - 329 |
| Polls, public opinion | 303.3 |
| Population/Demography | 304.6+ and 310+ |
Pottery/porcelain |
738 |
Press directories |
070 and 302 |
Printing |
686 |
Proverbs |
398.9 |
| Psychiatry | 150 - 159 and 616 |
Psychology |
150 - 159 |
| Public Administration | 350 - 354 |
Public opinion polls |
303.3 |
| Publishers - lists | 070.5 and 655.44 |
Q
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Quotations/sayings |
080 - 082 and 808 |
| Quick facts, almanacs etc. | 032+ |
R
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Railways |
385 |
Reference book guides |
011.02 |
Religion |
200 - 299 |
| Religion, comparative | 290 - 299 |
| Roget's Thesaurus | 423.1 R732 |
| Rugby league | 796.33+ |
| Rugby union | 796.33+ |
S
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Sayings/quotations | 080 - 082 and 808 |
School directories |
373 |
| Sciences - general dictionaries | 503 |
| Sciences - Pure | 500 - 599 |
| Sciences - Applied | 600 - 699 |
Sculpture |
730 |
| Shakespeare | 822.33+ |
Shipping |
387 |
Short Story Index |
808.83016 |
| Sign language | 419+ |
| Slang/colloquialisms | 427.9+ |
| Soccer | 796.33+ |
| Social issues | 305 - 309 and 360 - 369 |
Social work |
361 |
Sociology |
301 |
Sports/games |
795 - 799 |
Stamps |
383 and 769.56 |
Statistics - general |
310 - 319 / See also Statistics: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
| Statistics - yearbooks, Australian | 319.4+ |
| Statistics, Australian - economic | 330.99400212 MON |
| Stock market | 332.642+ |
| Street maps (Australian) | 919.4+ / See also Map Reading Room |
Style Manual (Australian government) |
686.2252 |
| Surnames | 929.4+ |
T
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Taxation/tax guides |
336.2+ and 343.94+ |
Technology |
600 - 609 and 670 |
Telecommunications |
384 |
Telephone directories |
See Phone books |
| Television (See also Media guides) | 791.45 |
| Tennis | 796.342 |
| Textiles | 677 |
Theatre |
792 - 793 |
| Theses - indexes | 015.94075 / See also Theses: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
| Tourism | 790 |
Town planning |
710 - 719 |
| Trade | 380 - 382 |
Transport |
385 - 387 |
Trade directories |
380 - 382 |
Travel guides |
914 - 919 |
Treaty guides |
341.026 |
U
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
UNESCO Yearbook |
370.058 |
United Nations publications |
341+ / See also United Nations: Print Resources at the National Library of Australia |
United States Congressional documents/hearings indexes |
328.73 / See also United States Congressional Publications and Information |
W
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
| Whitaker's Almanack | 032.02 WHI |
Who's Whos |
920's |
| Who's Who - Australian | 920.01 WHO |
Wine |
641.22 |
Women's studies |
301.4 and 305.4 |
| World of Learning | 378 WOR |
World War I and World War II |
940.3 - 940.5 |
Y
Subject/Title |
Dewey |
Yearbooks (Statistical) |
314-319 |
| Yearbooks (Statistical) - Australian | 319.4+ |
