The future of reference: get real!

Abstract

This paper takes a pragmatic practitioner’s view of the future of reference. It discusses five issues that need to be addressed for reference to advance logically: designing the right systems; keeping a local focus on user needs; getting a realistic perspective on library instruction; acknowledging the paradigm shift in reference question complexity; and the public relations aspects of reference services. Emphasis is placed on using technology as a tool to gain our ends, rather than employing it simply as a new toy and an end in itself.

Citation

LaGuardia, C. (2003), "The future of reference: get real!", Reference Services Review, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 39-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907320310460898