An approach to the evaluation of ready reference collections

Many traditional library practices are currently being re‐examined in response to the technological changes that are taking place in libraries. Additionally, pervasive budget reductions require the scrutiny of service patterns in an effort to find those that most efficiently and best serve the user. No area is more affected by these pressures than public services—both technology and budget restrictions are challenging traditional reference service. Asking why we do what we do in regard to the ready reference collection is a good place to start rethinking our libraries' practices.