Search

In 2008, the University of Louisville’s (UofL) Ekstrom Library printed reference collection numbered almost 30,000 volumes. Copious collecting and sparse weeding built up the collection during the era before the Internet. There had been considerable reluctance to address its more outdated sections due to competing priorities and inertia. A change of leadership as well as the recognition of changing use patterns had lessened the need for such a large collection. In 2011, three librarians began a title-by-title review process that resulted in an 86% reduction of the reference collection by 2014. This article describes that process, summarizes the results, and discusses the benefits and disadvantages of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article reviews the research literature of three major journals in reference librarianship. The texts of 494 articles were analyzed and classified as research versus nonresearch. Articles such as news, commentary, book reviews, editorials, meeting announcements, and opinion pieces were excluded from the analysis. A total number of 162 (30.49%) articles were determined to be research articles and were examined to collect data on numerous variables including but not limited to authorship, affiliation, topic, type of research, data collection, and data analysis techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The most famous role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, recently celebrated the fortieth anniversary of its release. The books that define the games in the role-playing genre function like sports rulebooks, contain entries like encyclopedias, or are based on collections of maps similar to those in atlases. In the library context, this places the books that define role-playing games in the domain of reference books. While currently divisions of the American Library Association encourage librarians to consider using the game in community-building and youth services, there was a time period where organized groups actively tried to discourage librarians from collecting materials associated with the genre. This study is an assessment of library holdings of role-playing game materials worldwide, detailing collection and cataloging issues associated with the genre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business students and faculty expect the electronic delivery of content within their multiple disciplinary subject areas. The speed of acceptance and the rate of migration from print to electronic sources within the various business disciplines outpaces the acceptance rates in the humanities and other social sciences. Business students and faculty exhibit information-seeking behaviors that are unique to the practice-oriented nature of a business education. Electronic resources re-enforce this information-seeking behavior. The technology utilized in the creation of e-books enables business students and faculty to successfully locate specific data, both textual and numeric within the resource, further reinforcing their behaviors and accelerating the demand for additional e-books. Business students and faculty use e-books as reference books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surveys reference works published in the general field of education since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) on January 8, 2002. The study examines the introduction of each work to determine its audience and measure this against its treatment of NCLB. Topical encyclopedias can assist patrons in preliminary research on this major piece of legislation. After narrowing down the research topic, patrons can be referred to an electronic database for further, more detailed information on NCLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians at the Arnold Bernhard Library of Quinnipiac University were at a crossroads with electronic reference books. At first they had added the titles to the library's web page, generated records to individual titles in the online catalog, and even established links to their content using the link resolver in the online catalog. It was still felt that the collection was not living up to its potential. In 2007, the automation librarian began a project to add one more level of access to these titles - a graphic interface that simulated the process of walking into a reference room and picking out a title - all of this done with no programming beyond basic HTML. Early usage reports beginning in the Fall of 2007 prove that the concept has found an audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference publishing is in an era of competing technologies: print and electronic. For large multivolume reference books, the transition from being primarily a print resource to being primarily electronic is well advanced, perhaps nearly complete. For many smaller reference books, such as dictionaries, thesauruses, and almanacs, the transition is less advanced; in fact, it seems likely that print and electronic editions of such works may coexist for years to come. There are good reasons for this to happen, but this situation also poses challenges to librarians, publishers, and patrons. This article reviews some of the aspects of this transitional era in terms of what has been learned so far and what may develop in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the current state of digital versus print reference collections in school libraries. issues addressed include an overview of adoption practices, acceptance and use of digital materials, and implications for the future. The article compares findings from multiple sources to provide an in-depth examination and understanding of the qualities and characteristics that school libraries share. The sources include current literature, research findings, and the observations and experiences of an information specialist in the role of participate observer. Survey and analysis of this data will provide a triangulation of information that will form the basis of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers leadership and management issues affecting libraries in general. Specific attention is devoted to academic libraries and their reference departments. It focuses on the dynamics of leadership and management of academic library reference services and what is expected of the reference department head of the 21st century. It explores the changing roles of reference librarians and those of their leaders or department heads. It examines the leadership skills, traits, and competencies and attributes expected of the department head of reference in the new millennium. The paper also examines the paradox of leadership and management and draws distinction between the two terms. It finally looks into whether it is appropriate to have a manager from outside the library profession to be the head of an academic library reference department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reference service in academic libraries has evolved over the years from what was the "reference interview" to the kind of service transaction which takes many forms and involves numerous information resources and the highest librarian expertise in some situations. Reference is more versatile now than ever, and this may be attributed to the abundance of resources and the multitude of ways librarians can acquire access to needed information. Coordination of efforts, expertise, and resources can make a great reference department function efficiently and effectively. College and university libraries with huge reference departments may need reference managers or heads of reference to manage them, but there are smaller libraries with small reference departments which employ less than five reference librarians. Managing these small libraries with an even smaller pool of reference librarians may not seem as complicated as managing large ones. The head of reference position is an important one in the library, both for the staff and for the users served. This article will try to present views on the qualities, qualifications, and requirements which the head of reference should possess in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be an effective academic head of reference in the 21st century will require many of the same characteristics and skills necessary in the 20th century. While the traditional ways of providing reference services are changing, the fundamental need to provide access to information remains, and effective utilization of staff and other resources is paramount. Balancing the increasing pressures from shrinking budgets, growing costs, proliferation of expensive electronic resources, and high expectations from faculty and students creates a greater need for strong management expertise. The head of reference must be both an exceptional manager and an exceptional librarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents chronological bibliography of works published by Charles A. Bunge from 1965 to 1997 in the United States. Includes `Statewide Public Library Surveys and Plans, 1944-64'; `Current Reference Books'; `Library Education and Reference Performance.'

Part II. Presents selected bibliography related to reference sources published by Charles Bunge in the United States. Includes `Current Reference Books'; `The Reviewing of Adult Reference Materials for General libraries' and `If I Had to Choose.'

Part I. Presents selected bibliography related to the reference environment published by Charles Bunge in the United States. Includes `Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values of the Reference Librarian'; `Strategies for Updating Knowledge of Reference Resources and Techniques'; `Planning Goals, and Objectives for the Reference Department.'