REFURBISHING REFERENCE

Presentation By: Terry Elsey

What is reference?Definition according to Merriam-Webster online:

ref·er·encenoun : the act of looking at or in something for

information

adjective : used to find information about something: used to tell people where information can be

found

Full Definition of REFERENCE:  used or usable for reference; especially :  constituting

a standard for measuring or constructing

What drives your Reference collection?

People asking questions about information

Types of Questions that affect a Reference CollectionDirectional:Ex: Where are the dictionaries located?

Have clear and visible signage

Ready ReferenceShort, to-the-point questions that can usually be quickly found by consulting 1-2 standard reference tools

Typically who, what, where, and when kinds of questions

Factual answers:Ex: When was the Emancipation Proclamation signed?

Ready Reference ResourcesTraditional:

What resource do most people use today to answer ready

reference questions?

Print Reference resources are used less often due to the Internet’s easy access to ready reference answers

Library Reference print collections are subsequently shrinking

Electronic reference resources are often taking precedence over print reference resources

Instructional Reference:When patron needs to know how to do something to

get desired information

Ex: How can I search DVD titles in your library catalog?

Specific Search Reference:When patron needs a range of information and usually

multiple sources, in order to more fully understand and investigate a topic

Requires more complex information-seeking methods

Ex: I need to write a paper on the Bermuda Triangle. Can you help me find some books or articles on this subject?

Concentration on print reference collectionFor the times when patrons want to choose a print reference versus an online reference resource, how can you streamline your print reference collection to maximize patron use?

VS

Review library mission statement, community demographics and collection policyReview your library mission statement to assure which kinds of reference resources make sense

Ex: You probably do not want to stock esoteric scholarly resources for a small rural community but you may need to include Farmer’s Almanacs

Be familiar with your service area demographics and special needs

Ex: If you are primarily serving an area with an older, senior population, you may want to have several large print reference sources available for easier readability

Align plan for reference collection with your broader collection development policyState purpose/Plan for reference collection:

Reference plan is to expedite practical consultation, for instance (not for scholarly research)Decide breadth and depth coverage of major subject/Dewey areas

Include 1-2 dictionaries and encyclopedias on major subjectsInclude a couple more general references in each areaInclude 1-2 more specialized reference books in areas of higher interest for community: i.e. antique price guides, state and local statutes, and local area atlases.

Reference plan continued

Non-circulating or allow limited or full circulation period?Will you choose duplicated materials in print that are available virtually?—which ones?

Balance print and electronic resources (don’t have to be equally balanced but should adhere to logical plan—ex. of having more test prep materials electronically as this format is appropriate to the requesting patron who is in a learning environment (or will be) at minimum).

Respond to requests for information by patrons with choices suitable to those inquiries

Reference plan continued

Note how you will handle donations

Note how you will handle deselection-frequency, method and disposition of items

Criteria for selecting new resources to add

to collection

Appropriateness for audience

Select by reading reviews in professional literature such as Library Journal, Booklist, and others.

Professional Reviews

Need to leverage resources to “ensure neither money nor shelf space goes to waste” (Cassell and Hiremath, 337)

Make a budget for reference materials and follow

Consider standing order plans for definite wants (updated travel guides, list of 2-year and 4-year colleges, antiques price guides, etc.)

Other Selection Considerations

Fit the format to the user Think about which users are likely to use which resources and for what purpose. Then you can tailor the purchase and delivery of these resources accordingly.

Ex. High school students are typically tech-savvy and used to online resources, therefore, they may prefer using online databases and ebooks

Down to the nitty grittyOnce you have a plan for your reference collection—that is, how you would like it to be ultimately composed and updated, it is time to survey your current collection.

Ideally you will survey and assess your reference collection on an ongoing basis. You can schedule these reviews or incorporate this task into your daily/weekly duties.

Weed the reference collectionBe ruthless!

Follow the CREW recommendations for weedingMUSTIE

Misleading (factually inaccurate)UglySupersededTrivialIrrelevant—getting useElsewhere obtained—free on the Internet, ILL

Deselecting is the opposite activity from selecting, but both serve the same purpose—to have just the right resources residing in the collection

Mustie Books

Streamlining print referenceIdentify subjects that date quickly and weed these heavily

Medicine Computers/technologyLaw Science

Weed materials that are also available electronically unless you anticipate higher demand or they are a core resource such as a current dictionary.

Move older, but relevant, titles to circulating collection or possibly local history collection

CREW reference recommendations Encyclopedias Keep at least 1 in print (update @ 5 yrs) Subject encyclopedias (update when new editions available or @ 10 yrs)

Almanacs Keep updated yearly (move previous year to circulating, then discard) Regional almanacs- keep for historic research as per community needs. Don’t need to keep other outdated almanacs like Chase’s Calendar of Events except

possibly your state almanac and specialized like The Old Farmer’s Almanac (Put date published on spine label to show age).

Dictionaries Keep at least 1 unabridged dictionary and general desk dictionary (update @ yr) Specialized dictionaries (ex. abbreviations, slang, and acronym) update regularly. Older

editions may be retained and added to the circulating collection, discard if unused. Keep biographical dictionaries until superseded by a newer edition (keep those focused on

specific time period as desired. For example, Shapers of the Great Debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787: a Biographical Dictionary)

Foreign language dictionaries, keep until new edition available unless unused. (Update @ 5 years). Move older editions to the circulating collection. Change as community needs.

CREW reference recommendations cont. Directories Keep until newer edition (many now online). Telephone and directory information is now online. Move city directories and local

telephone books to local history room.

Atlases Keep comprehensive geographical atlas in print (update min @ 5. Replace road

atlases @ 2-3 years. Keep retrospective or historical atlases, such as The Routledge Historical Atlas of

Religion in America, indefinitely as information seldom changes but may be newly interpreted periodically.

Keep map books, local street guides and atlases dealing with local areas and regions until older, then move to local history.

Handbooks Handbooks include a wide variety of resources on specific subjects or techniques.

Ease of use important. Keep most recent editions. Time and innovation sensitive subject areas need to stay updated, discard older as information may be dangerous.

Can keep social science tools up to 10 years. Science outdated in 5 years or less with exception of natural history, botany.

Legal forms and information Should be up to date, though many forms and sample documents in electronic

format. Discard older editions. Keep tax prep guides 3 years.

Before Weeding

After Weeding

Resulting reference collection

Total in Reference Collection Sept 2012 2681 Sept 2013 1577 (weeded out 41%)

Items deleted from reference between Sept 2012 and Sept 2013—811

Items moved to circulating from reference between Sept 2012 and Sept 2013—293

1104 removed from reference so far Still have 900s to weed

Items in Reference collection by Dewey Number000-099 58 500-59961

100-199 16 600-69956

200-299 41 700-799148

300-399 212 800-899158

400-499 52 900-999775

Promote Reference resourcesPurchase/prepare signage that is

VisibleEasy to understandAttractive

Arrange ancillary subject materials in attractive manner near subject shelvesPrepare pathfinders for common information needsPublicize electronic reference resources on library website and assure staff is trained to suggest these as potential resources

RESOURCES FOR REFERENCE COLLECTION MANAGEMENTCassell, Kay Ann and Hiremath, Uma. Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2009. Print.

Web resourcesGeneral lists of librarian-selected web resourcesInternet Public Library www.ipl.orgNew York Public Library’s Best of the Web www.nypl.org/links/University of Washington’s Information Gateway www.lib.washington.edu/subject/Vermont Dept. of Libraries web referenceshttp://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/refwebNew Mexico State Library Basic Reference Resourceshttp://www.nmstatelibrary.org/docs/BasicRefSources.pdfMaine Public Libraries Bare Bones Reference Listhttp://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/collect/barebones2011.pdf

Web Resources about Library ReferenceAmerican Library Association-Reference and User

Services Association guidelines http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines

CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries prepared by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/index.html

Library Journal--Reference BackTalk: A Time to Weedhttp://lj.libraryjournal.com/2008/05/ljarchives/reference-backtalk-a-time-to-weed/