American Reference Books Annual 2001, Vol. 32

Citation

Shelton, M. (2002), "American Reference Books Annual 2001, Vol. 32", Collection Building, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 137-137. https://doi.org/10.1108/cb.2002.21.3.137.3

Libraries Unlimited consistently publishes numerous volumes that are beneficial to the professional librarian. This is also true of the Libraries Unlimited American Reference Books Annual (ARBA), which is in its 32nd volume. The 2001 edition provides reviews of 1,561 reference titles, of which 50 are CD‐ROMs. Focusing on “English language reference books published in the United States and Canada during a single year”, ARBA 2001 provides reviews of a wealth of reference materials covering all areas of knowledge. The book organizes these titles in 37 subject categories, which are subdivided by format. This layout makes it very easy to identify titles of interest quickly. An author/title and subject index also aids the reader.

ARBA 2001 is not selective in its coverage of the reference titles on which it focuses. Therefore, the reader will find reviews of titles not covered in other sources. The reviews are very well written by a group of over 400 scholars and practitioners. It is clear from the reviews that the subject knowledge of the reviewers is critical, as they detail the strengths and weaknesses of each title. The reviews often include references to other related titles. Although publisher information on a title can be valuable, these reviewers provide a critical added dimension.

Since ARBA 2001 is itself a reference title, it is valuable to librarians at several levels. For reference librarians it can be used to determine whether any new reference titles might be beneficial to their work. Although reference librarians may be aware of the many superior historic reference titles, ARBA 2001 acts as a current awareness tool for new or changing subjects. For collection development librarians it is a valuable tool for determining whether a new reference title would be a beneficial addition to a collection. As a stand‐alone, ARBA 2001 is an exceptional tool for the librarian new to the profession, as well as the librarian with many years of experience. It is also an excellent addition to a growing body of work. The 32nd volume of American Reference Books Annual is highly recommended for all practicing librarians.