Do you remember Guide to Reference Books?

The ACRL Conference was a sort of coming-out party for Guide to Reference, even if the debutante is still getting dressed. A monitor in our both displayed a loop of screen mock-ups, managing to catch the eyes of passersby. They wore a puzzled expression though. I took to saying, “Do you remember Guide to Reference Books?” In most cases, a flash of recognition appeared, but reciting names of editors past was the reliable clincher, “Balay . . Sheehy . . . Winchell.” One librarian recalled ideas of Constance Winchell in her Preface about the “forms of it.” I want to find that because I think it might apply to ideas of format in reference publishing today. Another librarian said that she worked at Columbia University with Eugene Sheehy, editor of Guide to Reference Books. She recalled how he came early to the library at 6:30 a.m. to work on the project before hours. Surely, Guide to Reference is that the same time something old and something new. We were heartened by the reference-librarian community’s goodwill for the project and anticipation for our launch in the fall. You can see our booth demo and get preliminary news on the project at www.guidetoreference.org.