"Reference books are the clearing-houses of knowledge. They are libraries in miniature, focusing into a single book information scattered through a thousand volumes. They are shortcuts to learning, pass-keys to the ac ..ed wisdom of the ages. The ordinary reader knows little of them, and realizes but slightly the great help they would be to him in his daily reading and daily living." W: G: Jordan in Literary era, 8: 52. 'A selection of the best works of reference should be the corner-stone of every library collection." A. R. Spofford in his Book for all readers. . . . For I have long known how much books of reference fail of all the good which they might accomplish, simply from ignorance of them, or inability to use them intelligently." Justin Winsor in Lib. j. 3: 159. "It is quite possible for a person of ordinary memory and ability, by careful study of reference books, by familiarity with the arrangement of his library, and by attention to the aids which his fellow librarians have put in print, to gain that respectable amount of information about a great many things essential to work at the information desk." George T. Little in Lib. j. 20 : C 20. "We all agree in lamenting that there are so many houses even some of considerable social position where you will not find a good atlas, a good dictionary, or a good cyclopædia of referWhat is still more lamentable, in a good many more houses where these books are, they are never referred to or opened. That is a very discreditable fact, because I defy anybody to take up a single copy of the Times newspaper and not come upon something in it, upon which, if their interest in the affairs of the day were active, intelligent, and alert as it ought to be, they would consult an atlas, dictionary, or cyclopædia of reference." John Morley in his Studies in literature, p. 205. ence. "It [a public library] should be rich in books of reference, in encyclopædias, where one may learn without cost of research what things are generally known. For it is far more useful to know these than to know those that are not generally known." James Russell Lowell in his Books and libraries. BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON REFERENCE BOOKS AND REference WORK* GENERAL Andersson, Aksel. Research libraries of Sweden. Lib. j. 29: C 71-84. Andrews, Clement Walker. Use of books. Lib. j. 249-253; A.L.A. Bulletin, 1 July, 7-12. Bacon, Corinne. Reference work from the librarian's point of view. Lib. j. 27:927-932. Bostwick, Arthur Elmore. Reference work in small circulating libraries. Pub. 1. 5: 419422. Briggs, Walter B. Reference work in public and in college libraries. Lib. j. 32: 492-495. Brown, James Duff. Reference libraries. (In his Manual of library economy. p. 418-426.) 1903. Clatworthy, Linda M. Reference work. Lib. j. 31 C 263–265. Coffin, Mrs Eva E. Reference work in a small library. New Hampshire public libraries. Bulletin. 5: 147-149. Dana, John Cotton. Reference work. (In his Library primer. 1899. p. 53-56.) Dill, Minnie E. Dont's in reference work. Pub. 1. 9 283-285. Douglass, Matthew Hale. Aids to reference work in a small library. Pub. 1. 9: 72-75, 121-123. Reprinted in New Hampshire public libraries. Bulletin. 5 157-160. Faxon, Frederick Winthrop. Periodicals in reference work. Pub. 1. 3 207-209, 252-254. Fletcher, William Isaac. A B C of reference work. (In National education association. Journal of proceedings and addresses. 1901. p. 847-849.) *For additional articles see Library work. INSTRUCTION IN REFERENCE Adams, Emma Louise. Instruction in the use of reference books and libraries: in normal and preparatory schools for teachers. Lib. j. 23: C 84-86. Includes a report from normal schools on work of this kind (1898). Ahern, Mary Eileen. Library instruction in the normal school. (In National education association. Journal of proceedings and addresses. 1903. p. 976-981.) A discussion of the subject by educational workers follows this article. Ames, Anne Seymour. Instruction in the use of reference books and libraries: in high schools. Lib. j. 23: C 86-87. Austen, Willard. Educational value of reference room training for students. A.L.A. Bulletin, 1 July, 274-277. Brett, William Howard. Library instruction in the normal school. (In National education association. Journal of proceedings. 1903. p. 971-976.) Ellis, Elizabeth. Instruction of school children in the use of library catalogs and reference books. Pub. 1. 4 311–314. High school instruction in Finney, B. A. use of reference books. Pub. 1. 4: 315–317. Gives a general outline of a course of study in this subject. Hasse, Adelaide Rosalia. Training of library employes: reference work. Lib. j. 20: 303-304. Hopkins, Florence M. Library work in high schools; a brief working outline for the teaching of reference books to high school students. Pub. 1. 10: 170-171. Little, George T. Instruction in the use of reference books and libraries: in colleges. Lib. j. 23: C 92. McNeil, Anne H. What the normal school may do to provide for library work in schools. Pub. 1. 6 80-81. Marvin, Cornelia. Reference work in the Armour institute library class. Pub. 1. 2: 299-300. Mead, Herman Ralph. Reference work in colleges. Lib. j. 30: 284. Milner, Ange V. Instruction in use of catalogs and reference books in normal schools. Pub. 1. 4: 324–326. Mudge, Isadore Gilbert. Instruction in reference work in Illinois state library school. Lib. j. 27: 334-335. Rathbone, Josephine Adams. Instruction in the use of reference books and libraries in high schools. Lib. j. 23: C 87-91. Sargent, Abby L. Reference work among school children. Lib. j. 20: 121–122. Training of the teacher in library work. Pub. 1. 8: 85-89. Describes some of the reference books which a teacher should know. University of Illinois. the University of Illinois. 226. Reference work at Pub. 1. 12: 225 A brief description of the work done at this library in giving instruction to the assistants in the use of reference books. Warren, Irene. Instruction in the use of books in a normal school. Pub. 1. 3:151–153. Wellman, Hiller Crowell. Reference work with children. Library association record, 3: 400-407. LISTS OF REFERENCE BOOKS Abbott, Elizabeth L. Bibliography in a small library and a List of reference books for a library of from 3000 to 5000 v. Pub. 1. 7: 8-13. Describes the books mentioned in the list of reference books, stating their scope and value. Baker, C. A. Reference books for a small library. (In Dana, J: C. Library primer. 1899. p. 46-52.) Includes about 75 books, costing about $550. Gives relative importance of books on subjects. British museum - Library. List of the books of reference in the reading room. 3d ed. Lond. British museum, 1889. 475 p. tab. O. Contains not only books of a strictly reference character, but also representative works in the various classes; alphabetically arranged by authors with subject index. Cutter, Charles Ammi. Some works of reference as aids in cataloguing. (In his Rules for a dictionary catalogue. 1891. p. 128-133.) Graesel, Arnim. Nachschlagewerke für bibliotheksbenutzer. (In his Führer für bibliotheksbenutzer. Holden, Edward 1905. p. 26–52.) S. Library manual; reference books. West Point, U. S. military academy, 1905. 20 p. O. A lecture on reference books, etc. delivered to the Third Class, U. S. military academy, Sept. 12, 1903. Hull, Charles H. Helps for cataloguers in finding full names. Lib. j. 14 7-20. An excellent list of reference books for catalogers. John Crerar library, Chicago. List of books in the reading-room, Jan. 1900. Chic. John Crerar library, 1900. 251 p. O. Not limited to reference books, but includes the most useful books for a reference library. Especially strong in technical sciences. Includes books in the John Crerar library which is limited to the social, physical and natural sciences. There is an index of subjects, titles, names of persons, institutions and places. A very useful list of technical reference books. A new edition revised and enlarged is in preparation. Koopman, Harry Lyman. Reference books and catalogues. (In his Mastery of books. 1896. p. 48-62.) Kroeger, Alice Bertha. Recent reference books, 1903. Lib. j. 28: 823-828; for 1904, Lib. j. 305-10; for 1905, Lib. j. 31: 3-7; for 1906, Lib. j. 32: 11-13; A.L.A. booklist, 3 28-31; for 1907, Lib. j. 33: 13-16; A.L.A. booklist, 4: 26-30. These lists were intended to supplement the Guide to reference books, first edition (1902) Reynolds library, Rochester, N. Y. Reference catalogue. Rochester, 1898. 324 p. Q. A classified list of all the books in the reference department, together with books in the circulating department which are believed to be useful for consultation. The contents are grouped as: Bibliography, Encyclopædias and general treatises, Periodicals and reviews, Society transactions and publications, and Public documents. Author and subject indexes. Salem - Public library. Bulletins, Dec. 1903, Mar. 1904. A list of the latest and most useful general reference books. San Francisco Public library. Books in the reference room. (In its Catalogue, no. 11, 1901. p. 37-63.) A list of reference books arranged alphabetically by subjects. Simpson, Frances. Recent library aids. Pub. 1. 10: 296-299. Spofford, Ainsworth Rand. Works of reference for libraries. (In U. S. Bureau of education. Public libraries in the U. S. 1876. 1686-710.) Contains a brief but well-selected list, although now not recent enough for practical use. Aids to readers. (In his Book for all readers. 1900. p. 190-214.) Wheatley, Henry Benjamin. List of reference books. (In his How to form a library. 1887. p. 91-129.) Winsor, Justin. Reference books in English. Lib. j. 1 247-249. A brief list of the best reference books for a small library. - Principal reference books for college libraries. (In U. S. - Education, Bureau of. Circulars of information, no. 1, 1880. p. 9-13.) Woodruff, Eleanor Berry. List of fifty reference books for a small popular library. (In Pratt institute monthly, 6: 123-126.) An annotated list, carefully selected. |