Learn Reference Work First North American Edition First North American Edition

220 Pages·2007·1.24 MB·English

by  Clara L. Sitter

L I B R A R Y E D U C A T I O N S E R I E S

Learn

REFERENCE WORK

FIRST NORTH AMERICAN EDITION

by
Clara L. Sitter
Mary Gosling

with
Colin Gray

TOTALRECALL PUBLICATIONS, INC.
TotalRecall Publications, Inc.

First North American edition (cid:1) DocMatrix Pty Ltd 2007
Based on previous Australasian editions (cid:1) DocMatrix Pty Ltd 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007. All rights reserved.

Published simultaneously by TotalRecall Publications, Inc. in the United States of America, Canada, England and other
countries around the world except the Pacific Rim.

Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical or by photocopying,
recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.

The views expressed in this book are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of any other party or
parties.

ISBN 978- 1-59095-808-7

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CONTENTS

Introduction 7
1. Reference Services 9
2. Reference Sources 23
3. Dictionaries 39
4. Encyclopedias 55
5. Fast Facts 69
6. Biographical Sources 77
7. Geographical Sources 87
8. Bibliographies and Library Catalogs 95
9. Directories 105
10. Indexes and Abstracts 113
11. Government Documents 123
12. The Internet 137
13. Researching and Delivering Information 153
14. Evaluation 159
Answers 173
Glossary 185
References 197
LCSH Form Subdivisions 215
Index 217
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my colleagues, especially Elizabeth Hopgood, Margaret Hyland and Mary
Mortimer, for their help and encouragement. I would also like to thank my husband Jeff and
sons Richard and James for being so patient while I worked on this book (and for giving me
access to the printer!)
Mary Gosling
Australian Edition

Thanks to the University of Denver (DU) Library Information Science (LIS) students for their
inspiration, to Karen Lochhead for the Canadian content, to Mary Mortimer for her patience,
and to my husband, Les Sitter, for his encouragement. Additional thanks to the DU College of
Education (COE) and LIS folks: Ginger Maloney, COE Dean; Deborah Grealy, LIS Director;
and Shannon Smith, Research Assistant.
Clara L. Sitter
North American Edition

Special thanks to Colin Gray for the chapter on the Internet, and his invaluable advice on current
trends in electronic reference work.
Mary Mortimer
Publisher

NOTE ON CAPITALIZATION

Titles included in the text are capitalized according to standard library cataloging practice—that
is, apart from names, only the first word of the title has a capital letter. This is intended to
accustom library students and staff to this style. The references at the back of the book use the
normal capitalization found in bibliographies.
INTRODUCTION

Reference services determine the primary way many libraries are known to their users. The
delivery of reference service options have expanded greatly in recent years. Technology including
features such as Internet, IM (instant messaging), pod casting, blogging, RSS (Really Simple
Syndication), 24/7 virtual and chat reference, wireless networking, fax, email, online, and cell
phones has had an impact on information services. All traditional modes of communication
including traditional face-to-face, telephone, and snail mail modes are still in operation.
Reference staff must be prepared to deal with any contact mode and should incorporate
appropriate technology into their services.

Large public library systems are looking at new models for delivery of all forms of service. The
concept of full service libraries is becoming more limited. Some systems are designating certain
libraries as full service including walk in reference while others may be focused on popular
resources and programming (sometimes called the bookstore model or neighborhood libraries),
service to children and teens, language and learning, or special collections for special users.

Subject specialists, instruction librarians, and readers’ advisory staff have enhanced the services of
large libraries. New technology and expansion of resource sharing, have multiplied the formats of
information available to users. In spite of the rapid changes the basic goal of reference service
remains constant: to connect users with information.

This book is an introduction to basic knowledge and skills in reference work. It provides a
foundation of theory and information for good reference service. We also introduce some
additional concepts related to services, models, and issues facing managers. The text is
supplemented with practice exercises and skill tests. Answers for self-checking are at the back of
the book. Examples of sources are included but there are often many sources suitable for
answering a question.

Although libraries use fewer printed reference sources, we have included a combination of print
and electronic sources because some people may not have access to the electronic versions.
Internet resources are included in each of the chapters as appropriate.

Reference materials are subject to frequent editions, revisions, and updates. Electronic and
Internet resources are updated even more frequently. It is a challenge to prepare exercises and
write questions that are relevant for all readers. We hope the questions are general enough to be
answered without consulting a specific title or edition. The most challenging exercises are at the
end of each chapter, and may be omitted if the relevant resources are not available. It is more
important to become familiar with types of tools and to develop a sense of the appropriate
resource than to find the exact answer to these questions.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1
REFERENCE SERVICES

Introduction
The purpose of every library is to connect users with information. The reference department
provides services to help users make the best use of a library’s resources as well as to find
information quickly and efficiently through internal or external sources.

Reference services vary with the purpose and size of the library. A large library is likely to have a
reference section with many librarians who deal with a wide variety of subjects. Individuals may
also be responsible for a function or a subject area. A large library will have a separate reference
desk and a circulation desk to meet the needs of its users. A smaller organization may have only
one or two staff to provide a wide variety of services, although the library may be more subject-
focused. Smaller facilities will likely have one desk providing both circulation and reference
assistance.

Reference staff must develop skills in accessing information and assisting users. They need to
know the library’s collection and understand how to find information efficiently.

Most libraries have a reference collection consisting of both print publications and electronic
resources. Libraries may help users find information as well as refer them to other sources. The
Internet has greatly increased the range of resources available for finding information and
answering questions.

The basic purpose of the reference section is to assist users in accessing information in the
library’s collection, selecting the best sources from that collection, and referring users to other
appropriate sources.

Reference Services
Traditional reference services provided by libraries relate to questions, collections and extended
services and may include the following:
Questions
• library assistance
• answers to questions
• readers’ advisory

Collections
• reference collection
• circulation options
• equipment access

Extended Services
• literature searches
• library instruction
• current awareness
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