AAA Rated: Unscrambling the Bond Market. RUSA Occasional Papers, Number 22.

Many people are investing these days, but many librarians, especially non-business librarians, are uncomfortable helping patrons with questions on the subject. This reference guide gives librarians the knowledge and confidence to assist patrons in identifying the correct information in a critical but little understood investment area--the bond market. Written in an easily understandable style, this guide provides the basic background information on: what a bond is; how to distinguish between different types of bonds; how bonds are rated; how to evaluate bonds and track their performance; and useful reference sources. The following sections are included: "Introduction" (Lydia E. LaFaro); "Bonds and the Bond Market" (Louise Klusek); "Bond Ratings" (Steven L. Lubetkin); "Sources of Bond Information" (Louise Klusek); "Bibliography of Bond Information Sources" (Louise Klusek); "Listing of Major Bond Indexes" (Gary White and Craig Wilkins); and "Glossary of Bond Terms" (Gary White, Tom Mirkovich, and Craig Wilkins). Included is a comprehensive list of the most useful reference sources on bonds, and an extensive glossary of terms related to the bond market. (SWC)