Surfing the Stacks in an Electronic Age

Summary

Current trends in library training and practice reflect the inexorable movement toward the electronic environment. In this setting, librarians are beginning to pay considerably less attention to the books in their reference collections than to the online sources. This is cause for concern, since materials in the print format are often preferable to the electronic. They can be more accessible, quicker, and easier to use. Their contents are likely to be more comprehensive and are often unique. Librarians are urged to continue to become familiar with and use the books in the reference collections.