Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century : An Introduction

by Kay Ann Cassell, Uma Hiremath

Designed to complement every introductory library reference course, this is the perfect text for students and librarians looking to expand their personal reference knowledge, teaching failsafe methods for identifying important materials by matching specific types of questions to the best available sources, regardless of format. Guided by a national advisory board of educators and practitioners including Eileen Abels, Anita Ondrusek, Marie L. Radford, and Steven Tash, this text expertly keeps up with new technologies and practices while remaining grounded in the basics of reference work. Chapters on fundamental concepts, major reference sources, and special topics in reference provide a solid foundation, plus fresh insight on new issues, including

New chapters on ethics, readers’ advisory, and reference services for children and young adults
Website development and maintenance
RSS feeds
Social networking
Delivering reference services across multiple platforms

As librarians experience a changing climate for all information services professionals, Cassell and Hiremath provide the tools needed to manage the ebb and flow of changing reference services in the 21st century.

Check out the companion website

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

Part I: Fundamental Concepts


1 Introduction to Reference and Information Services
Ethics
Kinds of Information Service
Selecting and Evaluating Print and Electronic Resources
Creating Finding Tools and Websites
Promotion and Marketing
Evaluating Staff and Services
The Changing Nature of Reference
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

2 Determining the Question: In-Person, Telephone, and Virtual Reference Interviews
Why Do the Reference Interview?
What We Know About the Reference Interview
Conducting the Reference Interview
Problematic Strategies in the Reference Interview
The Telephone Interview
Answering Questions Virtually
RUSA Guidelines—an Integrated Approach
Cultural Differences
Improving our Skills
A Look Ahead
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

3 Finding the Answer: Basic Search Techniques
Tools of the Answering Trade
Types of Answers
Common Pitfalls in Reference Answering
Raison d’être: Finding the Answers
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited


Part II Introduction to Major Reference Sources


4 Answering Questions about Books, Magazines, Newspapers, Libraries and Publishing, and Bibliographic Networks—Bibliographic Resources
Overview
Major Bibliographic Resources Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

5 Answering Questions about Anything and Everything—Encyclopedias
Overview
Major Encyclopedic Resources Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

6 Answering Questions That Require Handy Facts—Ready Reference Sources
Overview
Major Ready Reference Resources Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

7 Answering Questions about Words—Dictionaries, Concordances, and Manuals
Overview
Major Dictionaries Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Final Thoughts
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

8 Answering Questions about Events and Issues, Past and Present—Databases (and Indexes)
Overview
Major Databases Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Final Thoughts
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

9 Answering Questions about Health, Law, and Business—Special Guidelines and Sources
Overview
Major Health Resources Used in Reference Work
Major Legal Resources Used in Reference Work
Major Business Resources Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Recommended Resources Discussed in This Chapter
Recommendations for Further Reading
Bibliography and Works Cited

10 Answering Questions about Geography, Countries, and Travel—Atlases, Gazetteers, Maps, Geographic Information Systems, and Travel Guides
Overview
Major Geographic Information Resources Used in Reference Work
Collection Development and Maintenance
Further Considerations
Re...

Genres: Nonfiction, Library Science, Textbooks, School, Reference, Librarianship, Grad School

378 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2006

Reviews

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

ahhhhh.... so i just finished my take-home final and i realized that means i am done done done with this book! oh god that feels good. this is the newest edition of this particular textbook, and while it is of course a boring old textbook, there is actually a ton of really useful information in it: so many websites to find information that i'm sure i will be expected to know when i become the world's best librarian. i mean, yes, its dull as death, but at the end of each chapter there are about 5 pages of just online resources that are amazing, and kind of fun to play around on. if you're into reference and information services in the 21st century... you nerd.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars. I don't know how this book could be better, I guess it is the subject that makes it only a two star book. Typical chapter: this is what an X is (x can be a dictionary, or an atlas, or an index or some other reference material). Now we state the obvious, and now we give a ton of one paragraph or so synopsis of tons of different X's out there.

Me while typically reading a chapter: Yep I know what an X is, because I don't live in a cocoon. Oh, lots of very fast descriptions, most of which I could figure out by the title's of them, but I have no interest in hearing about all of these right on top of each other. Then think, hmmmm maybe if I just read through a catalog I'd learn as much and not spend 50 dollars on this book.

Some chapters are about other stuff, like answering a question, doing an interview, helping children with their reference needs (this chapter is a whopping five pages and um, well there is something condescending about the chapter and it's pithy treatment of children, not that I give a shit about children but still), and reader's advisory (see my blog entry on my strong feelings of alienation I suffered after reading this chapter).

All and all not an enjoyable experience. I don't think I learned anything from the book. I didn't use it to study for any tests or quizzes, and my life would be exactly the same if I hadn't read it. But I did, and now I get to rate it. And this will make book 1500 on my read shelf. Yay for a life spent with my nose in books.

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for a Library Sciences class. It is chock-full of useful information about reference resources! I have gotten lots of use out of the information provided. And I was able to take the class with the author; unlike most professors, she was pretty down-to-earth about having us read her own work - she didn't make a big deal out of it, and it is recognized as an authoritative text by people besides her. =)

[Rosanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have used this excellent textbook for the past 4 years for my introductory reference course. The newly-published 4th edition is a welcome update with revised content throughout and a new chapter on reference as programming.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with a lot of useful information about reference services and the data bases that are available for use by librarians.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Very detailed.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok ok, maybe I didn't read *all* of it, but what I did read was surprisingly well-done! Usually textbooks seem purposefully designed to bore the reader to tears, but not Cassell. The book is easy to read but packed with information, and the example practice questions are invariably hilarious or timely. The 4th edition (published this year) incorporates modern technology and updates the lists of available resources, so it's a worth-while investment for the new reference librarian.

[AltLovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a textbook, but curiously I didn't hate reading it. It throws a lot (and I mean a lot!) of research and reference sources at you in each chapter, which can get overwhelming. Theres no real analysis provided with the sources either, so it's up to you to figure out how useful they would be for research requests. This is the first textbook I've read during my masters that I would actually consider keeping.

[Amanda Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty informative text for my first class in my Masters of Library Science program. It will find a home on my shelf, should I ever work in a library, as a good list of assets and databases available for reference work. I do wish the course could've used the recently published updated version, but oh well.

[Caroline Heyworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially read Reference and Information Services : An Introduction by Kay Ann Cassell because it was a required textbook for one of my classes. However, i take personal enjoyment reading it even outside of class requirements. It was very informative, and I enjoyed the structure and depth of the given subject matter. I would definitely recommend this work to others.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Technical information and not all the links work for the internet since they expired, but good information to get started on learning reference material at least. If they revised it with workable links it would be much more helpful!

[Rachel Siska · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually looked forward to reading this textbook. I learned a lot about a potential career path. The reference class this textbook was for was by far my favorite class this first semester going for my masters.

[Brittany Benson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a book I had to read for a reference class. Informative, but overly dry.

[Theresa Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very helpful and a great foundation for LIS.

[Alexandra Lowrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as textbooks go, this book was easy to read and informative. It also didn't repeat itself too much and was organized very well.

[Emi えみ Takami 鷹見 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative

[Crystal Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook, so it's going to be a bit dry, but it does its job. If you need to know more, then I'd advise looking into scholarly journals on reference work.

[Taylor Worsham]

Class textbook for 802: Foundations of Reference Services in my MLS program at Emporia State University.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my "Reference and Online Services" course in library school. I remember it being a good textbook. It's pretty outdated now.

[Emily Love Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent academic resource for new reference librarians. I boughtmy copy so I could keep it on hand for when I get my first reference job. Grateful my professor used this for our class.

[Mauricio Isaias Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

INFO 210 WE OUTSIDE

[Ashlin Edmisten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to reference. There are a lot of great sources and information discussed. This is one of the most accessible, interesting, and compelling test books I have ever read. I absolutely recommend it.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century by Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath was my assigned textbook for my required reference class toward my master's degree in library and information science. Having completed a semester of library school I have realized that a lot of writing about the ins and outs of libraries can be quite dry. (I tell my mother the titles of books I need to read and she starts to laugh nervously. For a really long time.)

That said, this one is not as bad as it could be. While the writing follows a very clear formula, it is still informative. The writing is also not so redundant as to render the text into nonsensical gibberish. Some of the information, if you have spent any time with libraries in your own life, will be redundant. Some pieces of information will be pure gold. Unfortunately, I suspect that is often the way with textbooks.

The sections on readers advisory and the reference interview were both well put together but the text spends just as much time with more specific topics like maps. I enjoyed the chapter on dictionaries but that might say more about me than the book. That aside, I am forced to underscore the fact that Cassell and Hiremath's treatment of numerous sources for each topic, while undoubtedly informative, did start to feel very repetitive.

I like this book for three big reasons. First because the book is dedicated to me. Not to me specifically, but to me and all of the other intrepid librarians of the twenty-first century. I also like that the book does focus on electronic resources which, lets face it, are a really big part of library reference work nowadays. Finally, I am forever indebted to this book for introducing me to KDL's What's Next Database--a searchable database to find series titles, order of books, and authors. I've known about the site for a couple of months and it still feels like a dream come true.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book notable mostly for its omissions, and have found that very little of the resources covered in the book are stuff I ended up using in real life reference. Also I found the organization odd, with chapters like "events and people past and present" and "when and how to use the Internet as a reference tool." I would have organized it with more plain things like History, Biographies, Current Events, Government materials, Statistics, etc. Putting "Internet" in its own special chapter, contrasted with slapping "21st century" in the title, is probably some sort of joke.

Failed to suggest Goodreads for reader's advisory which is just plain silly to everyone reading this I am sure.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still in LIBR 210, and this book initially was such a yawn to me. There's a new edition that's already come out, and so I know I wouldn't be able to sell this book on Amazon. However, in and of itself, this textbook will be a handy reference in my librarian office. The authors try to write in a colloquial style to relieve some of the tedium of the topic, which seem a bit corny. On the other hand, their lists have been handy for all my reference exercises, especially with regard to encyclopedias, atlases, business, law, and medical dictionaries.

[Ariel Dagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about about that can bring you down to your knees! After reading this book you will have a headache from not being capable of processing so much excellent information. If you have not hugged a reference librarian in the past week, stop by your local library and do so. Most people underestimate the vast knowledge they have, know how to get to what is needed, and masters of information retrieval.

I have read this twice in less than a month and know that I can go back to it plenty more times and discover more information than before.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't read this whole book, but found it incredibly useful, specifically for the explanations of how to find information in different formats/types of resources and the suggested websites in each section. It was my textbook for my reference course in my MLIS program at the U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I would probably buy a copy of it if it weren't so exorbitantly priced. Instead... thank God for ILL!

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good guide for the library information science student. Basic information to guide librarians in their field. Although, many chapters may seem simplistic, it's the simplicity that we sometimes need as librarians when helping patrons find information. However, if you're a student reading this book and haven't been a librarian yet, then it would be hard to vision this until you're in that situation.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

In addition to teaching the reader about how to do reference, this book is a reference work in and of itself. Each chapter that discusses a particular type of reference material (e.g. dictionaries or government documents) lists the top ten reference sources of that type - both print and electronic.

[Maryanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely informative and entertaining (yes, entertaining...I know, right??) introduction to reference services that included oodles of useful follow-up reading and recommended sources. Definitely a text that any librarian (and teacher/researcher/etc. for that matter) should not just read, but keep close at hand.