diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl
index bf15f2026c..acbac13397 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/reference.scrbl
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@ Unless otherwise noted, the bindings defined in this manual are
 exported by the @racketmodname[racket/base] and @racketmodname[racket]
 languages.}
 
-@margin-note{The @racketmodname[racket] library combines
+@margin-note{The @racketmodname[racket/base] library is much smaller than
+the @racketmodname[racket] library and will typically load faster.
+
+The @racketmodname[racket] library combines
 @racketmodname[racket/base]@racket-extra-libs[].}
 
 @table-of-contents[]