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This paper aims to serve as an introduction to the articles in the special theme issue on “reference in the (post)Google age”, outlining some of the challenges and opportunities this new information environment has presented for reference services and introducing some of the creative ways in which librarians are adapting.

The paper provides an overview of the reference service issues and models that are discussed in the papers that follow, including various ways of assessing, locating, and staffing services.

Reference services have not been made obsolete by new online search options, and reference librarians are adapting and rethinking their service models in various resourceful ways.

Specific examples of new reference models and ways of assessing reference services are outlined.

This paper provides an introduction to the special issue on current reference services.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the articles in the special theme issue.

This paper provides some background and context on health literacy.

Health literacy is a critical constellation of skills. Librarians’ abilities and expertise are well-suited to contributing to the improvement of health literacy for various populations in various settings. Librarians are actively engaging in a wide variety of health literacy initiatives in collaboration with other professionals and organizations.

Specific examples of how librarians are contributing to health literacy are described.

Lack of health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes and increased health costs. Multiple organizations, think tanks and government agencies have called for addressing disparities in health literacy.

This paper provides an overview and introduction to the special issue on health literacy.

This article aims to describe how a college library critically examined its maintenance of a traditional reference desk for in‐person services and changed its service model to suit local needs.

The author examined quantitative and qualitative reference use data prior to changing the service model, and the purpose of reference services was formally articulated. Following the change the author again examined use data, conducted a convenience sample survey, and measured visits to the web site.

The author came to the conclusion that while maintaining in‐person reference was important for the library, a separate desk was not the best means of providing service at the college. Following the change to the service model, use of reference and consultation services dramatically increased.

The new on‐call, consultative reference service model is described, as is a description of how they managed the change process internally, how they marketed reference services to the students, and how they are assessing the results. Considerations for choosing a reference model appropriate to one's local conditions are outlined.

The purpose of this paper is to find out how much the purchasing and lending of individual electronic books really cost. Additionally, this paper investigates which kind of approach would be cheaper and less time-consuming for library staff as well as library patrons – purchase or short-term loan.

This study was conducted at the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) Library. This is the only university library in Estonia where the Ebook Central platform is adapted on a large scale. For background information, all statistical data of expenditures and average prices of purchases and short-term loans during April 2013 and December 2018 were calculated and analysed. Through a case study, the time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) method was used – all activities related to acquisition and lending of eBooks were identified, recorded in detail and analysed. More specifically, the study concerned eBooks offered in the Ebook Central platform and covered purchasing and short-term loan processes, such as receipt of order request, communication with the patron (if necessary) making a purchase or short-term loan, and feedback to the patron.

While analysing the results, it appeared there are many additional activities libraries can avoid during the eBook short-term loan process compared to purchasing. As a normality in TalTech library, purchase is always followed by a cataloguing process which increases the time and cost of this process in turn. On the basis of the current study, it can be said that short-term loan is a cheaper way to use eBooks; many activities related to the short-term loan of eBooks take remarkably less staff time and financial resources than eBooks acquisition/purchasing activities. When analysing the literature reviewed as well as collected statistical data, the problem may arise when the decision-maker librarian is not experienced, professional or long-sighted enough to understand the future behaviour of the patron or the usage of the specific eBook. When the usage reaches a certain point, it becomes an indicator of continuing future usage and so it makes sense to purchase the eBook, as the library pays no further charges once an eBook is owned.

Most studies reviewed by the author are based on the statistical data collected about expenditure, costs, usage, cost-per-use, etc. of short-term loans and purchases. While acquisitions costs, average cost per acquired item per year and cost per usage are easy to identify, it has been difficult to measure associated costs of acquisition, cataloging and circulation. The TDABC methodology seems to be one of the best tools for understanding cost behaviour and refining a cost system for university libraries. Based on the information known to the author, there is no study carried out using the TDABC methodology for analysing costs of eBook programmes.

Nobody concerned with political economy can neglect the history of economic doctrines. Structural changes in the economy and society influence economic thinking and, conversely, innovative thought structures and attitudes have almost always forced economic institutions and modes of behaviour to adjust. We learn from the history of economic doctrines how a particular theory emerged and whether, and in which environment, it could take root. We can see how a school evolves out of a common methodological perception and similar techniques of analysis, and how it has to establish itself. The interaction between unresolved problems on the one hand, and the search for better solutions or explanations on the other, leads to a change in paradigma and to the formation of new lines of reasoning. As long as the real world is subject to progress and change scientific search for explanation must out of necessity continue.

This paper aims to focus on applications of Web 2.0 that improve training and communication within the reference services department.

The paper discusses some of the best known and most heavily used examples of Web 2.0: blogs, calendars, wikis, RSS, image collections, podcasts or vodcasts, social bookmarks, text messages, instant messages, and social networks.

Implementing Web 2.0 tools to coordinate communication and training creates a dynamic, interactive system for sharing procedures, ideas, and new developments within a reference services department.

The paper provides useful insight into training staff using Web 2.0 applications.