As one might expect from the title, there is a focus in this book on the practicalities of reference work. Through the use of examples and illustrations, all of which are US‐based, the author tackles many types of enquiry. Many points are illuminated through the use of short practical exercises. This book also contains a consideration of strategies to employ when Internet use becomes widespread within a reference service. The author, by splitting reference services into two types – ready reference and complex reference – attempts to clarify the issue. The strategy for ready reference simply amounts to maintaining, on the library’s homepage, a set of hyper‐links to frequently used Web sites – hardly innovative. For complex reference enquiries it is simply recommended that a subject‐based approach is required.
Departing from the practical approach, the author does attempt to set the scene by providing contextual background, but this material is superficial and distracts rather than informs the reader – really such a treatment belongs in a different book. Throughout, the tone of the language used seems to be aimed at the undergraduate level, with some examples appearing rather crass. The final chapter however focuses on some of the interesting issues of e‐mail reference and digital reference services. This chapter is too short and having secured the interest of the reader it ends rather abruptly.
It is difficult to see this book being used in the way a true manual might be used. Having read it once the reader may not need to return. Having said this, there is an obvious opportunity for some of the exercises to be adapted for use in a staff training programme.
