Fundamentals of Reference

Reference Service in Special Subjects 89

Business reference questions also have some of the same characteristics of

medical or legal queries. For example, questions about taxation or incorpo-

ration may require knowledge of the law, and queries about investment or

finance may be related to the very survival or demise of a business venture.

As Tucker points out, training is of the utmost importance in this realm

of reference. The Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) of ALA’s

Reference and User Services Association

has made a major effort to keep both busi-

ness librarians and reference generalists

knowledgeable and well-versed in the

ways of the business world. To achieve its

goal of “[supporting] the needs of business

reference librarians and other librarians

involved in providing business reference

service,”^8 BRASS’s Education Committee

developed two web guides, “Core Compe-

tencies for Business Reference” (www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brass protools/

corecompetencies/corecompetenciesbusiness/) and “Best of the Best Business

Web Sites” (www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/brassprotools/bestofthebestbus/

bestbestbusiness/). The first consists of a set of guides to ten business topics,

such as accounting, insurance, and taxation. Each guide includes definitions

of basic concepts, key print and online resources for the subject, a glossary of

terms, and a list of frequently asked questions. The second lists free websites

covering sixteen subject areas, including

business ethics, international business,

and management information systems and

knowledge management.

Familiarity with these tools and a

good grasp of reference techniques will

11 Reference Service in Person

this wide-ranging and ever-changing field.

notes

1. Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath, Reference and Information Services in
   the 21st Century: An Introduction, 2nd rev. ed. (New York: Neal-Schuman,
   2011), 179.

Celia Ross, “Keeping Up with

Business Reference,” Journal

of Business and Finance

Librarianship 13, no. 3 (2008):

363–70, offers advice for staying

current and highlights a number

of useful resources.

Craig Wilkins, “Training Staff for
Business Reference,” Journal of
Library Administration 29, no.
1 (2000): 37–45, describes the
elements of a business reference
training program and includes
exercises and training aids.