Issues in Collection Development: Ready Reference Collections

Abstract

A ready reference collection, kept close to the reference desk and to the telephone, is composed of items which answer a myriad of questions asked by either walk‐in patrons or telephone callers. These quick fact‐type questions are easily answered with minimum effort on the part of the patron and the librarian. But, these small, helpful collections often grow in size and complexity until, in some libraries, they begin to resemble the Sorcerer's Apprentice, with the librarian rather than the patron, playing the part of the sorcerer. Librarians sometimes look no further than these items to answer all sorts of questions—even the more complicated research ones. Shouldn't we be asking ourselves not only which items belong on these shelves, but which can be discarded from them too?

Citation

Futas, E. (1981), "Issues in Collection Development: Ready Reference Collections", Collection Building, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 46-48. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb023068