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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 [...]

The ALA Glossary of Library Terms defines a reference work as as one “designed by its arrangement and treatment to be consulted for definite terms of information rather than to be read consecutively.” Or, as I once heard someone put it, “A to Z , yes; chapters, no.” Of course, there have always been books that have [...]

Just wrapped up the Webinar, Twenty-First Century Reference Collections, hosted by Booklist and sponsored by Encyclopaedia Britannica, M. E. Sharpe, World Book, and ABC-CLIO. We had presentations from each of those publishers as well as from Dave Tyckoson, who’s the Associate Dean at the Henry Madden Library, California State University, Fresno. The panelists all did a [...]

The Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) subcollections are starting to compliment the traditional bookcart of books on a topic.  Rather than going to the physical shelves to find books for an instructor’s specific assignment, obtaining single copies of various books of a wide chronological range, I find myself turning first to the GVRL to see [...]

This month’s (11/15) issue of Library Journal features a Reference Bestellers list.  Many of the titles will not surprise librarians, as many of the top spots are claimed by perenial ready reference favorites of dictionaries and fact books.  And least surprising of all to this former academic librarian is that the MLA handbook claims the [...]

Back in the day, at least 2/3 of my reference collection budget supported standing orders for hundreds of print statistical books, biographical sources, directories, dictionaries,and almanacs of all types.  Each year it seems to dwindle as we ask ourselves, do we really need to get that print source EVERY year?  This year is no different, [...]

Booklist hosted the Independent Reference Publishers’ Group meeting that took place at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago last month. IPRG gets together at every ALA conference to discuss and hear about matters related to reference publishing. I invited some librarians from the school and public libraries to come to the meeting and talk about what’s [...]

At the “Rethinking the Reference Collection” program presented by Reference Books Bulletin at the recent ALA Annual Conference, several panelists and audience members mentioned what seems to be accelerating trend: moving reference books into the circulating stacks.  As panelist Dave Tyckson noted, reference collections were first established in anticipation of high use, but “now that the use [...]

During our panel discussion “Rethinking the Reference Collection” at ALA, the question came up – how do you measure the use of your reference collection?  Each of the panelists enthusiastically suggested a local “checkout” of the reference items before they are reshelved.  I must say that I do the same thing at my institution.  Several [...]

At the Reference Books Bulletin “Rethinking the Reference Collection” program at the ALA Annual Conference yesterday, one of the panelists, David Tyckoson, talked about the two best things that  have  happened in reference in the past  few years: Serials Solutions and OpenURL.  Why?  They have no content, but they make our lives easier by improving findability.  [...]