Introduction to Reference Work in the 21st Century

For many librarians, the meaning of the word
reference
is changing so rapidly in this Information Age that the subject has become unsettling. With so much questionable information out there, and so many avenues to it, who will point the public to the information truly worth having? How are the approaches to and principles of reference work changing from past to present and future? How do librarians take hold of the reins? Joseph Janes, founder of the Internet Public Library, offers this practical guide. The text is a mix of Janes’s provocative arguments and hands-on advice to answer questions such as: what is the optimal mix of desk/phone/e-mail/chat? What kind of resource for what kind of user? What software for what purpose? What values to hold on to and what habits to break? Janes seeks to identify user needs and choose the best reference approaches for seeing that those needs are met. The work features salient considerations, pointers and encouragement.