Ruth M.

Rellin BLIS=2
Title of Article: Envisioning the Future of Reference Instruction: LIS
Students' and Practitioners' Opinions on Print and Online Sources.

Summary
This paper examines students' and practitioners' attitudes toward, and uses of,
various reference sources. It was precipitated by questioning the best outcomes of
the basic reference class in Library Science programs, specifically asking what
types of sources. LIS students should be versed in as they enter the workforce-print
or online? This research found some differences between academic and public
librarians, and little agreement about the purposes of the basic reference course.
Teaching about types of reference sources today is difficult; as Margaret
Landesman says, we are moving away from reference collections because of the
convergence among formats, [so that] we can't recognize a reference book when
we see one.1 Our students, though, might benefit from using print reference
sources, less as a historical artifact, but for the concrete demonstration of
organization of information that they offer.

Critiques
In this article entitled Envisioning the Future of Reference Instruction: LIS

Students' and Practitioners' Opinions on Print and Online Sources. Is

very good source we need to adapt in the library because in our
generation is more on technology or with the advent of technology the
services in the library are very efficient and effective. it is easy to
retrieve the information that the patrons needed. Though we discuss the
phenomenon of information overload because of the Internet, the shift to the
Internet for fact-finding and research is really another variation on a continued

theme in reference service, too many sources. The shift from print to
online reference sources is not complete, it depends on whom the library serves.
Academic libraries have different reference models from public libraries,
influencing what types of resources they most often use. Academic libraries'
patrons often access the library's collection from a distance. Public libraries'
patrons tend to physically visit the library and ask questions in person. Generally,
the literature says that reference models have made use of the shift to online
access, with online reference transactions becoming more common, placing more
importance still on the use of online reference sources. The literature related to
reference work strongly suggests that librarians frequently work with virtual
patrons using tools like texting and Facebook to connect with patrons where the
patrons are. Teaching reference and information retrieval has long occasioned
reflection, from what sources should be taught to what blend of source instruction
and interpersonal skills should be taught.The accessibility of print and
online sources influenced students' use of these sources. Students reported that it
was less time consuming to find information online. Some reported that they just
couldn't spend many hours in the library to do an assignment, so they would make
a quick tour of the reference section and get out of it what they could after finding
the answers online. Another student reported that there just weren't many good
print sources available at the library, which necessitated searching online. When
given the choice, students were more likely to turn to online sources than
print sources to complete assignments, even when they were required to use print
resources. Most students began with online sources, though some began with
print sources and two used only electronic sources,

Ruth M. Rellin BLIS=2

Title of article: The evolution of electronic reference sources.

Summary
This paper provides an historical look at the development of web versions
of reference materials and discusses what makes an easy-to-use and useful
electronic handbook. Observations and assumptions about usability of
electronic reference materials are tested with an information retrieval test for
specific tasks in print and online editions of the same texts. It is found that the
adoption of those elements which create a well-designed book in combination with
robust search capabilities and online presentation result in an easy-to-use and
useful electronic reference source. Advantages to particular models for
electronic reference publishing are discussed, raising awareness for product
evaluation. Areas of development for electronic reference book publishers or
providers are identified. Work in these areas would help ensure maximum
efficiency through cross title searching via meta-searching and data manipulation.

Critiques
Current electronic reference materials show that print sources can become usable
and user-friendly in electronic format and thereby gain speed of use and
functionality. The nature of electronic resources will continue to change and
develop as the materials are natively produced in electronic format. Handbooks are
often described as a single volume, written for practitioners in a field to be used as
a quick resource for facts, figures and equations relevant to their discipline.
Handbooks are most common in scientific and technical fields of research. Other

types of handbooks exist, but a single volume or two-volume set is the primary
content focus for this discussion. Handbooks are a useful tool for finding an item
of information when the book is easily accessible.