The general reference collection holds broad-based reference works which support the use and study of the specialised collections.

The reference collection includes:

• dictionaries (e.g. Oxford English Dictionary (2nd edition), New Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd edition), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2nd edition))
• encyclopaedias
• almanacs
• daily newspapers (Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Times, Independent on Sunday, Observer, Sunday Times - current issues plus past 1 month)
• local newspapers (East End Advertiser, East End Life, Hackney Gazette - current issues plus past 2 months)
• a range of general interest magazines (Economist, London Review of Books, New Statesman, New Scientist, Newsweek, Spectator, Time, Time Out)

There is also significant material relating to architecture, including The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) and a broad range of books about British history.