What Are Your Essential Reference Titles?
Posted by: Rebecca Vnuk
When libraries are downsizing–or rightsizing–their print reference collections to just a handful of titles in some cases, are there any print reference titles that are still essential enough to keep out of circulation?
Recently, Dave Tyckoson posted an answer to this question, sent by someone who attended the Twenty-First Century Reference Collection Webinar held in January. Dave’s response:
There are still some books that you want to always have available in the library. Whether due to high use, uniqueness, or even librarian comfort, every collection will probably have something in reference that you do not want users to take out of the building.
Dave listed the titles he still considers essential for his library at CSU Fresno. Now we want hear from you. Whether you’ve already rightsized your reference collection, or are planning to, or even if your collection is intact for the forseeable future, please take this survey to tell us which are your essential print reference titles. I’ll share the results on this blog.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
- Statistical Abstract and U.S. Government Manual
– styles guides such as Chicago Manual of Style, and MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publications
– a world atlas
– subject encyclopedias unavailable electronically
March 8th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I wholeheartedly agree with Jack! The style manuals are needed by students and authors alike and you need to see them to find the way to cite your reference, a world atlas as there’s no way to get the world on a screen and be legible, and I agree that subject encyclopedias provide a unique arrangement of information which improves “browsability.”
March 10th, 2010 at 10:50 am
I would have to say that I don’t have very many “sacred cows” anymore. Lots of my list includes things that would be considered
“local” information like:
university budget
Iowa State history volumes
alumni directory
university factbook
Others of a general nature include:
style guides [although less so since so many students are now using EndNoteWeb]
a couple of specialized journal abbreviation sources in the sciences—especially for older titles.
World Almanac and Stat Abstracts just because there’s no GOOD online alternative
Iowa Code – also because online is hard to use
some local city sources; although the online ones are getting better.
some specialized dictionaries, handbooks and manuals – although not much is sacrosanct anymore.
As I look at the titles we still have behind our Desk as “ready reference” there isn’t much I would take a stand on. I do like having things like Europa Yearbook, World of Learning, and some of the Yellow Book Directories, but can’t say I use them a lot. As far as subject encyclopedias, whenever possible they go to the general collection and only if I can’t get and ebook copy instead—they DON’T get used.
My 2 cents,
March 10th, 2010 at 11:13 am
I agree with Jack and Sue We keep statistics on reference title usage and the style guides and the statistical abstract have particluarly high usage.
I’m the business librarian here, and there are some business sources that we maintain in print sometimes due to unavailability of a digital format or it’s too expensive for us to get the digital version. Examples of print business reference sources include:
-NAICS and SIC manuals
-Hanbook of Industry Profiles
-Resume, Cover Letter, and Job Interview book
-a selction of Euromonitor publications
March 10th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
At the main ref desk, I use the Statesman’s Yearbook, writing style guides, the Gale Literary Criticism sets, and Ulrich’s. In the Music Library, the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is essential. In the Children’s library Something about the Author and Children’s Literature Review are extremely helpful. I, too, rely on the Internet and electronic databases & e-books to look up some information that in the past I found in books — it’s convenient.