[SamBam]

I'd say that being able to make use of a good reference manual is still the process of learning the basic outline of the material, learning what it is that you know and what it is that is contained in the manual (and what isn't in the manual!), and even learning your way around the manual itself in order to find stuff quickly.

I'd say this skill is very different than never learning any geography because you "could" look it up on Google Maps some day if you wanted to.