Referensändamål

Referensändamål is a Swedish term that describes the intended use of information, materials, or data for reference purposes. It denotes that the primary aim is consultation, verification, or citation rather than redistribution, publication, or commercial exploitation.

In libraries, archives, and museums, referensändamål commonly refers to materials that are available for on-site use or in restricted contexts to support research or study. Such use emphasizes consulting the item to check facts, compare sources, or understand a subject, without extracting or reproducing beyond what is allowed by policy.

In academic and professional settings, referensändamål guides how information is handled when creating notes, bibliographies, or reference works. It distinguishes reference work from other uses such as lending, teaching, or publishing, and helps shape procedures for access, handling, and reproduction.

Examples of referensändamål include examining an archive record to verify a date, viewing an atlas on-site to determine routes, or consulting a dataset to check variables before broader analysis. In policy and law, the term can appear in guidelines to indicate that material is to be used as a reference rather than distributed in full, with accompanying restrictions on copying or dissemination.

Etymology: the term derives from referens (reference) and ändamål (purpose). See also related concepts such as references, bibliographies, and reference works.