Includes bibliographical references (pages 473-489) and indexes.

Introduction to reference and information services -- Determining the question : in-person, telephone, and virtual reference interviews -- Finding the answer : basic search techniques -- Answering questions about books, magazines, newspapers, libraries and publishing, and bibliographic networks : bibliographic resources -- Answering questions about anything and everything : encyclopedias -- Answering questions that requires handy facts : ready reference sources -- Answering questions about words : dictionaries -- Answering questions about events and issues, past and present : indexes and full-text databases -- Answering questions about health, law and business : special guidelines and sources -- Answering questions about geography, countries and travel : atlases, gazetteers, maps, geographic information systems and travel guides -- Answering questions about the lives of people : biographical information sources -- Answering questions about governments : government information sources -- When and how to use the internet as a reference tool -- Reader's advisory work / Cindy Orr -- Reference work with children and young adults / Meghan Harper -- Information literacy in the reference department -- Selecting and evaluating reference materials -- Ethics in reference / Angela Ecklund -- Managing reference departments -- Assessing and improving reference services -- Reference 2.0 -- The future of information service -- Appendix. RUSA outstanding reference sources 2007-2012.