Reference Services

The number of reference transactions in academic libraries is dramatically declining,1 and given the abundance of free resources on the internet, some may question whether music reference services are valuable. Many people believe that everything is available online and discoverable via Google. However, librarians understand that this is not the case and that the world of music research is immense; a guide could be quite helpful in navigating its complexities. As part of the Notes’ 2000 “Music Librarianship at the Turn of the Century” special issue, David Lasocki addressed the past, present, and possible future of music reference.2 Subsequent publications have also examined these topics.3 By exploring a definition of reference as well as its practices, developments, and challenges, the authors provide an updated view on these services. The authors posit that, while the goal remains the same, the who, where, and how continues to change.4