Includes bibliographical references and index.

History and functions of reference services -- Ethics -- The reference interview -- Instructional strategies for the reference interview -- Consortia and cooperation -- Models of reference services -- Management of reference services -- Evaluation and assessment of reference services -- Training and professional development -- Marketing and promotion of reference services -- Reference services for children and young adults -- Reference services for diverse populations -- Introduction to information creation and dissemination -- Selection and evaluation of reference sources -- Licensing and managing electronic resources -- Search strategies for online sources -- Ready-reference sources -- Dictionaries -- Encyclopedias -- Bibliographic sources -- Reader's advisory services and sources -- Indexes and abstracts -- News sources -- Geographical sources -- Biographical and genealogical sources -- Government information -- Data and statistical sources -- Business sources -- Health and medicine sources -- Primary and archival sources -- Legal sources -- Creating and future of reference service.

"Thoroughly updated, this go-to work links you--and through you, your patrons--to the significant changes that have occurred in reference and information sciences thanks to the growth in digital content"--