September 30, 2005

Reference Questions in the Library of the Future

By W. LEE HISLE

This is a time of transition in academic libraries. Core functions -- like reference services, collection development, and preservation -- are being rethought and redefined as libraries move from traditional forms of services and print-based collections to online services and digitized collections.

Reference work has been a part of library services for generations, having started in the late 19th century when an increasingly literate population needed help using libraries. It