Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. In this course you are learning about some of the most basic reference books, but there are thousands of other sources that exist and can help answer questions. In fact, in answering questions, you should think of the world as your resource. Every book, pamphlet and magazine in your branch can help answer questions.
People are a wonderful reference source.
Knowing the experts in your own community can help you give excellent service to your patrons. Electronic resources such as CD Roms and the Internet are critical. An important part of your job in the library is to be able to evaluate the various tools that are available. You need to know which ones are the most reliable and helpful both for your own use and so that you can advise patrons. We will spend some time now learning about evaluating book resources, and then go on to some tips to use in evaluating electronic tools.