ABSTRACT
Limitations on both time and human memory make it impossible for the reference librarian or staff member to become aware of even a fraction of all the reference sources that have been published. There is, however, a small number of basic, fundamental or “key” sources that are widely used or widely recommended. In all likelihood these sources will answer a high proportion of all the questions that may appropriately be answered by published reference materials. This paper explores a number of ways that these “key” reference sources may be identified. The author concludes that a knowledge of the types or categories of reference materials that exist and what each type will do best, along with a knowledge of a corpus of basic, fundamental or “key” reference titles, will contribute to a firm foundation for effective and efficient reference service.
