Reference has gotten more complicated in recent years, with the plethora of materials online and in paper, more ways to ask questions and deliver answers, a larger multicultural public, and interdisciplinary subjects. All this is complicated by declining budgets as usage increases.

This is a call for chapters for a new book that covers these issues and more, for public and academic libraries. New authors as well as experienced authors are welcome. Chapters can be co-written. The deadlines are short to get it to press while still timely; a letter of commitment is needed by June 1, with a brief abstract or outline of topics and a short CV. Please feel free to ask questions!


Working title:

Reference in the Modern World(s)


Topics:


Length - 3,000 - 5,000 words (negotiable)

Bibliography is required



Reference for the unattached - freelancers, distance students, entrepeneurs, home schoolers, military, self-employed
Business and academic support in the library, and vice versa

Balancing online and onshelf - budgeting for both, balancing services, training staff and patrons

Changing where we work - roving, virtual, embedded, and co-operative

Changing how we work - FAQs, websites, metadata, wikis, and knowledge management

Changing who does the work - staff and paraprofessionals, training, outsourcing

Specialists and generalists - new breeds and hybrids

Teaching your library - instruction, orientation, and learning commons

Images and media - reference when it's not written

Multicultural and multilingual - same skills, different outlooks

Special collections - getting patrons to the good stuff
Geneology, rare books, archives, manuscripts, local history

More topics are welcome, please feel free to contact me.



Schedule:

Letters of commitment due June 1

First draft due week of August 2

Edited drafts returned week of August 30

Final draft due week of November 1



Audience:

Adult reference librarians in public and academic libraries, and LIS students.


Editor : Susan Knoer, MLS
susan.knoer@gmail.com