I’ve been named the winner of the 2015 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award. The piece, “Reference is dead, long live reference: electronic collections in the digital age,” was adapted from a paper I wrote last semester, kind of an intersection of collection management and reference services.
It’s an argumentative essay of sorts, suggesting that there is a false dichotomy between electronic and print reference collections, that — contrary to what seems to be a worry about the impending irrelevance of library reference services — there is no cause for alarm: choosing reference sources based on user preferences and information needs is as paramount as it’s always been. I argue that the proliferation of digital reference sources is a positive development in provision of up-to-date, accurate reference information. I specifically address issues like access, reliability, and user preference.
The paper is forthcoming in Information Technology and Libraries, a peer-reviewed publication of Library & Information Technology Association. I am particularly excited about this award and publication because I plan to continue working and writing in the information/library field going forward, and this win is another step in that direction!
Heather Bailey Terrell 