General Reference Main Library Main Building, 1st Floor 325 Superior Avenue Cleveland, OH 44114 216.623.2856 GenRef@cpl.org

Throughout its history, General Reference Department has been described as the Main Library's "point of first contact and court of last appeal." Due to the size and scope of its collections, this is as true today as it was when the Main Library opened in 1925. The General Reference Department in Main Library's Brett Hall provides the information and professional advice necessary to conduct research within and beyond the boundaries of the Cleveland Public Library.

The General Reference Department houses a variety of basic reference works including: the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature and other magazine and newspapers indices, the Annals of Cleveland, the National Union Catalog, and encyclopedias. The department also maintains the online Cleveland News Index. This index lists citation information (not full text access) for local news stories, feature articles and reviews.

In addition, the General Reference Department has the following collections and services:

• Microform Center
• Periodical Center
• InterLibrary Loan