Guide to Reference voted Best Database in Best Professional Resource category

For Immediate Release
Tue, 11/06/2012

Contact:

Troy D. Linker

Dir Publishing Technology

Publishing Technology (PROD)

800-545-2433 ext. 5101

tlinker@ala.org

CHICAGO — Based on votes from librarians, readers of Library Journal and reviewers, Guide to Reference was selected #1 Best Database in Library Journal’s 2012 Best Professional Resource category. Guide to Reference is published by ALA Digital Reference and is the online successor to the former gold-standard print Guide to Reference Books (often referred to by the editor’s name — Mudge, Winchell, Sheehy, Balay).

“Librarians—especially in reference, selection and LIS programs—have turned to this authoritative content to get their work done for more than 100 years,” said ALA Digital Reference Publisher Troy Linker. “We’re excited and gratified that the online product is recognized as continuing the valuable tradition of being the go-to resource—and that’s thanks to the dedication and hard work of the hundreds of past and present reference librarians who have contributed to Guide to Reference as section editors, editorial board members and general editors.”

An editorial team of top reference librarians and subject experts select and annotate and continually update more than 16,000 entries to make Guide to Reference a versatile, selective online guide to the best (not just the newest) reference sources in print and web-based formats, regardless of pricing. The entries are organized by academic discipline, with added categories for the Web as Reference Tool and Online General Reference Libraries, as well as interdisciplinary subject categories such as cognitive science and cultural studies. Building on a  comprehensive, browsable taxonomy, it allows users to customize and save searches, add notes to titles, share work, create lists of resources and export records in a variety of ways.  Guide to Reference is used internationally as the “source of first resort” for identifying local materials that answer users’ questions, training reference staff, inventorying and developing reference collections, assisting interlibrary loan staff and serving as a gateway to the wider repertory of the reference literature. This online edition takes full advantage of the Web's capacities to connect information sources.

Guide to Reference offers free trials, access for LIS courses and regular free “Guide to Reference Essentials” webinars. More information is available at the Guide to Reference website.

ALA Digital Reference is an imprint dedicated to helping expand ALA Publishing’s ability to meet users wherever they are in the online environment, and whatever their role as an information professional. Its publications include Guide to Reference and RDA Toolkit.