Books are useful for introductory and background information, and serve as in-depth reviews of then-current knowledge. They don't report new research, however. "Books" is a generic term that can include textbooks, monographs, edited collections, government documents and reports, or conference proceedings.
Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely available textbooks and learning materials. They are good options for faculty looking for low/no-cost course materials, and good ways for students to gain general knowledge on a new topic.
A library of free educational resources about climate change and related topics for K-12 and higher education.
Search engine from Penn State Libraries.
Open textbook by B.E.J. Rose, Univ. at Albany.
While reference works can become outdated quickly, they are good places to get authoritative background information on unfamiliar topics.
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