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Nonfiction and Reference & Information Services

The Main Library's second floor houses nonfiction books, magazines, newspapers and reference services.

Knowledgeable Reference & Information Services staff uses the largest reference materials collection in northeastern Minnesota to provide information and answers to questions in the Library, over the telephone and by email. Electronic resources, CDs, microforms and the Internet supplement the print collection.

Reference materials may be used within the Library, but are not available to check out.

The nonfiction collection includes cookbooks, biographies, repair manuals, travel guides, resume information, business and investment handbooks, computer and Internet guides, art, music, poetry, and sports, as well as books on many other interesting and useful topics.Books on consumer information, collectibles, careers, civil service and military tests, and Christmas can be found in separately-shelved collections.

The Library tries to maintain a collection of nonfiction which serves the community's needs for informational and recreational reading. For recent titles, requests for purchase from the public are welcome. (See How are books bought for the Library?) Older titles may be requested through the Interlibrary Loan service.

There are nonfiction titles in the Book Club in a Bag collection (10 copies of a single title along accompanied by a study guide with discussion questions and background information about the book and author). The Book Club in a Bag kits are shelved in the Fiction/Media area. There are also Book Club in a Bag kits for kids and teens in Youth Services.

Science and Nature
newsletter

 

Lifestyle
newsletter

 

New Nonfiction
newsletter

 

 

Business
newsletter

 

Book Sizzle
newsletter


 Contact us:

Telephone  Call (218) 730-4200,
then press 5

 

Question markAsk a Librarian - or email your question.

 


 Books in your
e-mail!

This week in the online book clubs:

(click on the cover for
more info on each title)


Nonfiction

 

Business

New Arrivals:
(lists are updated each month)

Email Newsletters:
Get details on selected titles. You can sign up to have them delivered to your inbox every month.

 In this area, look for:

  • Reference Collection
    This comprehensive collection consists of both print and online encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, directories and reference books covering a wide range of subject matter.
  • Duluth & Minnesota Collections
  • Foundation Center Cooperating Collection
    The Foundation Center Cooperating Collection is one of a network of more than 425 collections associated with the Foundation Center, an independent national service organization in New York City. The collection contains print and online resources providing information on foundation and corporate giving and proposal writing for nonprofit organizations. The Foundation Directory Online is available only at the Main Library. While most of the resources may not be checked out of the Library, information may be copied or printed for ten cents per page. Users do their own research, although librarians are available to offer initial directional assistance.
  • Genealogy Resources
  • Government Documents
  • Magazines
    The Main Library has over 450 magazine subscriptions, and has additional older magazine back issues. In most cases, the current issue is for use only in the Library but copies from the previous 12 months may be checked out for two weeks. Most of these back issues can be found by raising the metal shelf where the current plastic-covered issue is shelved. No more than 3 issues of a title may be checked out at one time, and there is a total limit of 20 magazines checked out at one time.
    Magazines for children, teens and parents or teachers may be found in Youth Services.
    The Library has many magazine indexes in both paper and online form. The electronic indexes often provide full-text articles. Access to many of the indexes is available to users with Duluth Public Library or Arrowhead Library cards. In addition, the Library can almost always obtain a copy of specific articles through Interlibrary Loan.
  • Maps
    The Library owns topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey for Minnesota and Wisconsin in the 1:24,000 scale and maps for the entire United States and a small section of Canada in the 1:250,000 scale. We also have charts of the Great Lakes and a wide variety of other local and regional maps and atlases, both current and historical. In addition, there is a collection of folded maps covering most parts of the world. Topographic maps of the 1:24,000 scale, folded maps and atlases from the nonfiction collection may be checked out.
  • Typewriters

 Additional resources and services:

 

Duluth History Information:

 

Websites for Nonfiction Readers

 

 

   

   Magazine area  


Divisions and Services

 

8/1/12
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth MN 555802