Final answer:
Reference books are used to find immediate answers to specific questions, ranging from general information in encyclopedias and dictionaries to detailed articles in specialized reference works.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of books a person consults for an immediate answer to a specific question are known as reference books. These include a variety of resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries, and more specialized works. To find information quickly, consult general reference works to gain background knowledge or consult specialized reference works for in-depth articles on various topics.
Additionally, consult the library's online catalog to identify library books on your topic and make use of other sources as needed, such as periodical indexes and databases. Databases are particularly useful, ranging from those containing general-interest information to subject databases that index articles from specialized scholarly and technical journals.
For example, large encyclopedias like the New Encyclopædia Britannica offer detailed information on a wide array of topics, while resources such as the Random House Encyclopedia and the Columbia Encyclopedia provide concise overviews. Moreover, tools like biographical dictionaries are invaluable for quick information about notable individuals throughout history.