Reference Services

Reference librarians are on duty during all the hours the library is open to assist with:

• Locating information
• Reader's advisory
• Use of the Internet
• Research projects

You may call us with a question during library hours or e-mail your question at any time. Teachers and community leaders are encouraged to contact the Head of the Reference Department to arrange for tours, visits and other activities.

“Book a Librarian” a new service offered by the library’s reference department offers 30 minute sessions with one of our librarians to help you make

the most of our library’s resources. Do you need help getting started with research? Would you like to set up a free e-mail account or just learn more about searching the web? Please contact the reference desk in person or by phone (781-721-7171 ext 20) to set up an appointment.

Reference Collection

The Library's reference collection covers a broad array of subject areas including business information, consumer information, encyclopedias, college reference books, job search resources, legal information, literary criticism, maps and atlases, consumer health information and income tax forms and publications. Our electronic resources feature online databases on a wide variety of topics. Resources are always being added and updated. Contact a reference librarian for the most up to date resources on your subject.

Reserving Materials

To place a request for an item in our collection that is currently charged out, ask a reference librarian and we can place the request for you or assist in placing the request yourself online. There is no charge for requests.

Interlibrary (ILL) Loans

When an item is not available at the Winchester Public Library, through the Minuteman Library Network, or the Massachusetts Virtual Catalog, we can request it for you from other libraries across the United States. Interlibrary loan requests can take up to six weeks.

Magazine, Journal and Newspaper Articles

Check the list of the periodicals currently available in the Library. In addtiona, the Library provides online databases with full-text articles. And, the Library's fax service enables us to obtain articles from magazines and journals not owned by the Library in print or online format. There is a small fee for faxes.

Local History and Genealogy Resources

The Local History Room contains older town documents and reports, town directories, books on the history of Winchester and surrounding communities, genealogy resources and handbooks, and other material of local interest. Please ask about the use of this room at the Reference Desk. If you live outside the Winchester area and need assistance finding information on local history of genealogy, please contact us by phone or email.

To further pursue an interest in local history, you can contact Archival Center located in Town Hall and the Winchester Historical Society.

Resources for the Study of Winchester's History

Thomas J. Michalak has compiled a document that helps with the study of our local history titled "Resources for the Study of Winchester's History." This document brings together in one place and online a list of opportunities and resources for the exploration and study of Winchester's history. Listed here is a selection of the most consulted Town documents, books and pamphlets on the general history of Winchester and the architecture of Winchester. This resource guide is a starting place to explore Winchester's history. Tom Michalak is a member of the Winchester Historical Society who volunteers his time and expertise in the creation and maintenance of this list of resources.

Citing Sources in a Bibliography

How to Cite Sources was compiled by a former Library Media Specialist at the McCall Middle School. easybib and

easybib (listed on the Winchester High School Library's ikeepbookmarks.com page) and citationmachine and bibme are automatic bibliography makers.

The Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides examples of how to cite works in a reference paper using MLA format.

OWL at Purdue Materials for Grades 7-12 offers a variety of aids related to writing including citation information.