What Will Become of Reference in Academic and Public Libraries?

Public and academic libraries continue to have a vital role in providing reference services. As more and more information is only available in electronic form, reference librarians need to reaffirm their core values. Some of the changes happening in reference include smaller reference collections, the disposition of printed reference books, and the increased use of electronic tools. Other topics include different service models for the reference desk, the changing nature of reference questions, and changes in staffing at the reference desk. Finally, the authors speculate about the future of reference services.