1. The Future of
Reference Collections
Sandy Chambers Gallipeau
LIS 9315
Collection Development
July 31, 2012
http://www.insanetwist.com/2010/12/sculptures-from-
reference-books.html

2. Agenda
• Reference Collection
• Purpose
• Issues
• Future

3. Reference Collection
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Thesaurus
• Indexes
• Style manuals
• Directories
• Periodical

4. Purpose
• Find information quickly and
efficiently
• Definition, spelling, word origin
• Brief information as a starting point
• Keywords for search terms
• Geographical information such as
location, population, industry

5. Issues
• Users want electronic, decrease in print
• Cannot maintain electronic and print
• Print collections
Neglected
Not adequately weeded
Stagnated
no longer relevant
Don’t know it is there

6. Issues
• Access to electronic collections
Academic Libraries
High speed internet connection
Students
Distance, commuter
Accessibility accommodations
Alumni
• Public Libraries
Canadian Government cut funding to the
Community Access Program (CAP) May 2012

7. Reference Collection
Development Policy
• Most libraries don’t have a policy
• Less in-depth, more general language
• Interdisciplinary approach to weeding and
collecting the reference collection (King, 2012)
Format new acquisitions, paper or electronic
or both
Location for new acquisitions
reference collection
general stacks

8. Reference Services
• Once staffed
almost
entirely by
professional
librarians”
• Bibliographic
instruction or
Information
Literacy

9. Marketing and Promotion
• Most libraries need to do a better job
at marketing their collection
• More effective promotion and better
wayfinding to
the collection

10. Examples
• Toronto Reference Library
• University of Guelph
• University of Waterloo

11. Questions?
Thank you

12. Bibliography
Bibliography
Charlton, C. (2012, May 31). 41st PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION. Retrieved May 2012, from Parliament of Canada:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=5627457&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Se
s=1
Detmering, R., & Sproles, C. (2012). Reference in transition: A case study in reference. Collection Building, 31 (1), 19 -
22.
East, J. W. (2010). The rolls royce of the library reference collection. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50 (2), 162-
169.
Francis, M. (2012). Weeding the reference collection: A case study. The Reference Librarian, 53 (2), 219 - 234.
King, N. (2012). Nice vs. necessary: Reference collections in ARL member libraries. The Reference Librarian, 53 (2),
138–155.
Kurhan, S. H., & Griffing, E. A. (2011). Horse racing at the library: How one library system increased the usage of some
of its online databases. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 23 (2), 150 - 161.
Smith, D. A., & Oliva, V. T. Becoming a renaissance reference librarian in academe: Attitudes toward generalist and
subject specific reference and related profession development. Reference Services Review, 38 (1), 125 - 151.
Tyckoson, D. A. (2011). Issues and trends in the management of reference services: A historical perspective. Journal of
Library Administration, 51 (3), 259 - 278.
Images
Cartoonstock.com
www.insanetwist.com/2010/12/sculptures-from-reference-books.html
University of Guelph Library
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2010/09/library-reference-desk-made-from-books
University of Toronto Public Library
UCLA Library and used with permission
Sandy.gallipeau@gmail.com