Introduction to Reference Work in the Digital Age

For many librarians, the meaning of the word -reference- is changing so rapidly that it is unsettling. Joe Janes, founder of the Internet Public Library, provides this perfect mix of provocative arguments and useful, hands-on advice. He addresses important questions including: what is the optimal mix of desk/phone/email/chat? What kind of resource for what kind of user? What software for what purpose ? What values to hold on to and what habits to break? Loaded with salient considerations, pointers, and encouragement, this book will have at the library world talking on a subject we urgently need to address.

Joseph Janes is an Associate Professor and Chair of Library and Information Science at the University of Washington’s Information School and is founding director of the Internet Public Library. A frequent speaker in the U.S. and abroad, he is the coauthor of seven books on librarianship and technology, including the Internet Public Library Handbook (Neal-Schuman 1999).