Few things stand the test of time like a leather-bound dictionary and thesaurus. Sure, you can use the Internet to find just about anything these days, but an old fashioned dictionary, thesaurus, or other reference book adds character to your search and keeps all your information in one place.

With online dictionaries and reference books, the information is available, but how do you know the source is accurate? How do you know whether the online dictionary you are using is a reliable source, or instead the project of a good web designer with bad spelling? If you spend a great deal of time with written word – whether you're an avid reader, writer, student, or helpful parent or grandparent – it's worth your while to invest in a dictionary and other reference books. Not only are you doing a brain a favor, but consider how nice an attractively bound reference books looks on your desk.

Whether you're interested in learning Spanish, Latin or sign language, there is a foreign language reference book available to you learn the language quickly and more efficiently. Learning a foreign language isn't just about reading and writing, though. Listening is a huge part in learning another language. Many of today's foreign language dictionaries are accompanied by audio tapes or CDs to help the user work on correct pronunciations, conjugations and also helps perfect that foreign language accent.

Foreign language dictionaries not only help you lay the foundation for learning a new language, but they are also a great reference as you continue to learn. Small pocket language dictionaries designed for travelers can be of tremendous help when you find yourself in an unfamiliar city and can't remember how to ask for directions. Most of these foreign language reference books will feature traveler information for specific areas, too.

If you are looking for a language dictionary for the purpose of becoming fluent in a foreign language, look for a foreign language reference book written specifically for that purpose. If your intention is to learn enough to get you through an overseas expedition, then look for a traveler's dictionary. Whatever your needs, there is a foreign language dictionary available to help you.

There is something rather unsettling about sitting in a doctor or lawyer's office, listening to legal or medical jargon that you don't really understand. While interrupting and asking for clarification is always a good plan of action, sometimes you need a little more in-depth explanation. Luckily, there are plenty of medical reference books and legal dictionaries that put complicated concepts into layman's terms.

If you've been diagnosed with a certain condition or ailment and need to see a doctor, arm yourself with all the facts before entering the examining room. You can look up possible causes and solutions in a medical reference book and get a better understanding of the medical terms that you may hear at your appointment.

If you are in a particular legal situation and have secured an appointment with an attorney, flip through a legal dictionary and look at the definitions to words that may hit your legal brief. Sometimes, having a remedial knowledge of professional terms will help you to feel a lot more comfortable in stressful situations.

A word of caution: although these books are great tools to help you understand medical and legal lingo, you should not assume that you can skip the appointment with a professional simply because you already researched your issue. Books cannot replace the valuable experience of a competent doctor or lawyer. Just be sure to ask for clarification when words come up that you don't fully understand.

If you're an avid game enthusiasts, you know how frustrating it is when there is only more word left to complete the puzzle but that word escapes you. Whether you're a Scrabble survivor, a crossword connoisseur or just plain brilliant with word puzzles, it's OK to admit that sometimes you need a little help to finish the game victoriously. Luckily there are plenty of reference books available to help you.

When a regular dictionary won't cut it, consider looking into one of the many word game dictionaries available. Using a few letters, you can look up a word that will not only assist you in your game or puzzle, but also might be the word that increases your score considerably. Completing a tough crossword puzzle, for example, can take knowledge from many different subjects and it's not unusual that you may need a little help. Using the few letters you already have on the word, you can look up possible answers in your pocket reference book and ultimately find the one word you are looking for.

This method is a lot easier than calling everyone you know and soliciting their help, and it is far easier than allowing the missing word to simmer in your mind the whole day until you finally blurt out the answer while trying to fall asleep at night.

Some books just aren't easy to understand. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of reference books to accompany difficult texts to make reading a lot easier.

Many actors own Shakespearean dictionaries, which helps translate many common terms within Shakespeare's plays into more familiar wording. This allows the actors to actually understand the scenes they are auditioning for instead of simply reading the words.

There are many Bible reference books available for the aspiring clergy member, or faith-inspired. Depending on what version of the Bible a person reads, the wording can sometimes make it hard to fully comprehend. An accompanying reference book can clear up any words the reader doesn't understand, and can also offer valuable insight into historical events surrounding certain passages.

In some cases, even reading for fun can be difficult. If you are reading a book and find you are having a tough time actually understanding a lot of what it says, see if there is a reference book you can purchase to accompany the book. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that most renowned, yet complicated, texts have accompanying reference books that explain the book quite well.

World reference books are great tools for learning about the far away places you long to visit, or the creation of nature's most spectacular wonders from centuries ago. World reference books offer information on everything from the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore to the ancient Egyptian pyramids and the Dead Sea.

Interested in art? You can learn more about paintings and sculptures from the most famous, and almost famous, artists with an art reference book. Find out how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, or how DaVinci captured the famous Mona Lisa. Get information on the various painting styles - oil, water, sketch and charcoal - and learn how to differentiate a Monet from a Manet.

Reference books are great for brushing up on your geography. Helping your kids with their class project on state capitals? Make sure you get the spelling of each capital city correct with a geography reference book. If that ancient civilization project is haunting your college student, recommend a reference book on the Incas or Mayans to help guide your student through finals.

Reference books are formatted in a way that makes them easy to read and also simple to understand. As you read through the book you will find it easier to learn about the topic, and you'll probably really enjoy it, too! You never know... one reference book may lead to another and the next thing you know you're an expert on a topic you once knew very little about.

Do you want to sound smarter and more eloquent when you speak? You will be pleased to discover that there are plenty of reference books beyond the English dictionary to help you learn more words – and more importantly – how to use these words correctly. If you're looking to add some kick to your vocabulary, an English language reference book will help add to your repertoire. You can learn new words on a daily schedule with word-of-the-day books. The more you understand the fundamentals of English words and grammar, and the more words you learn and can incorporate into your everyday conversation, the smarter you'll sound to everyone around you.