[Publib] Re: Collection Development/Reference Collections

[Andy Barnett]

At 10:37 AM 11/12/2008 -0500, you wrote:
>  Have any of you substantially cut your ref area because of the internet?
Not so much because of the Internet as because of our on-line resources. We 
are a mid-sized library and our reference collection is about half the size 
it was ten years ago. Items that literally were collecting dust were 
weeded. Of course, we have a lot on-line  now. Huge magazine collections, 
lit resources beyond those we could afford before, company indexes, medical 
encyclopedia, adding some investment sites that are included in the print 
subscriptions and coming in 2009, auto repair. We have 3 ISPs in the 
building, so the concern about what to do when the Internet is down doesn't 
really apply, since we have never had more than one connection down at a time.

The former stack-like area is now more browse-able, with a table and chairs 
and a feeling of space. Nice in a 1970 building.



Andy Barnett, Asst. Director            McMillan Memorial Library
490 East Grand Ave. Wisconsin Rapids, WI  54494
                 www.mcmillanlibrary.org
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that 
matter.  -  Martin Luther King, Jr.