Reference and Information Services: An Introduction

by Linda C. Smith and Richard E. Bopp

Book Overview

A user favorite through four previous editions, the fifth edition of this classic text remains an ideal resource for anyone seeking to master the latest nuances in reference and information services. Edited by reference authority Linda C. Smith and Melissa A. Wong, the single-volume work is presented in three parts. Part I focuses primarily on new ideas and methods for providing reference service. Part II shares information on how to evaluate and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1440836965
• ISBN13: 9781440836961
• Release Date: August 2016
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Length: 880 Pages
• Weight: 3.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 7.0" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Great service, packaging needs improvement

The book was as advertised, like new. Arrived in a few days. Only problem was the packaging was poor and somewhat torn through transit. Thankfully the book was fine. I reported this directly to shipper who was thankful for the info and will change packaging for such heavy books.

Bopp, Richard E., and Linda C. Smith. Reference and Information Services : an Introduction., 3rd ed.

This is an excellent text for Library and Information Science students. It is grounded in the history and importance of library reference services from the late 1800's to the present. Important reference text sources are described in detail as well as reference databases and the Web environment up to 2001. Content is well organized and topics are throughly covered, with emphasis on search strategy. This is a large paperback edition, but it is well constructed, with an easy to read font size and ample margin space for notes. I covered mine with clear contact paper to keep the cover clean and to provide more reinforcement. It is a very likable book on a tough subject.

Great, but already needs an update!

This is a great book for learning about reference philosophy, sources, and services. Its one weakness is its lack of coverage of virtual (chat) reference. It briefly mentions "videoconferencing," but with the importance of chat/IM today, along with e-mail, phone, and in-person forms of communication, the reference librarian needs to know how virtual reference systems work and how to implement them. One book about virtual reference that could supplement this text is "Going Live: Starting and Running a Virtual Reference Service," published by the ALA. Also, its chapter on instruction could be rewritten with greater clarity. Otherwise, an outstanding text.

An essential reference for library school

Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, Reference And Information Services offers detailed discussion on a wide range of reference-related services including interlibrary loan, document delivery, access to networked electronic resources, readers' advisory services, and more. Of special interest on the chapters regarding the Internet and World Wide Web, the attention to ethical issues and the strong focus on user-centered services, both face-to-face and those mediated by technology. Reference And Information Services is an essential reference for library school and professional library reference collections, as well as in-service library training supplement reading resource lists.

An excellent textbook for students in library studies

For those seeking a structural approach to reference and information resources, this textbook will provide a much more useful approach than its competitors. Not without limitations, Bopp and Smith provide an excellent introduction to information services and the nature of those resources which support such services. One great advantage to my mind is the provision of a more complete historical context to the sources than provided by Bill Katz's excellent competing text.