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Evolution of Reference Resources in Libraries

Explore the landscape of reference resources such as directories, almanacs, and yearbooks, detailing their importance and organization. Learn about different levels of contextualization, aspects of authority, and ways to find reference sources online.

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Evolution of Reference Resources in Libraries

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  1. Directories, Almanacs, Yearbooks LIS 704 Summer 2009 Reference & Online Resources

  2. The evolution of reference resources • By tradition and practice, reference resources either answer a question, or lead to other places where the answer might be found. • Usually reference resources are developed by librarians, experts, publishers, organizations, public agencies, or other interested parties • By library tradition and practice, reference resources are usually organized into types of collections: “ready” and “regular”

  3. Landscape of Reference Resources • Directories, Almanacs, Yearbooks • Quick facts, simple questions, confirmation of data, overview of an event • Biographical Sources, Dictionaries • More details on individuals; more complexity on words, topics, and issues. first level of contextualization • Encyclopedias, Geographic Sources • Next level of details on topics, giving much information context within time or space; second level of contextualization • Indexes, Abstracts • Overview is minimal; subject terms, boolean searching, concept linking dominate. User must bring much of the contextualization to the table. • Specialized Sources • All kinds of reference tools that demand an expert’s perspective to know how to use. For instance, i.e. Chemical/Biological/Radiological Incident Handbook.

  4. Aspects of Authority • Publisher/Author reputation; respect; expertise • When (or how often) the source is issued • How many other libraries collect the source • Is the source on a “core” list of material for a particular library, collection, subject area; i.e. “Women's Studies: Core Books (ACRL/WSS)” • Cost and overall expense of the source

  5. General; Special Almanacs • Answer.com -- http://www.answers.com/topic/almanac?cat=technology • Wikipedia’s Perspective: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_almanacs

  6. General; Special Yearbooks • Answers.com: http://www.answers.com/Yearbooks • Encyclopedia Yearbooks • Association Yearbooks • Professional Organization Yearbooks • Specialist Yearkbooks

  7. General; Special Directories • Open Directory Project: http://dmoz.org/ • Telephone and City Directories in the Library of Congress: Current Directories http://www.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/telephon.html

  8. Other ways of finding reference sources • Using the Library of Congress Subject Headings "Handbooks manuals etc.“ ; Yearbooks • Oxford Reference Online: http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/GLOBAL.html?authstatuscode=202

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