An essential resource for collection development specialists in small and medium-sized libraries, this guide identifies the highest quality, most affordable, and most appropriate new print and electronic reference materials. The 2017 edition of Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers contains unabridged reviews chosen from the current edition of American Reference Books Annual (ARBA) and ARBAonline. As with previous editions, readers will get fair and accurate assessments from these reviews, which are written by librarians and subject-area experts who present both positive and negative aspects of each product. Each publication review is coded to clearly indicate the most appropriate audience—college, public, and/or school.

An essential resource for collection development specialists in small and medium-sized libraries, this guide identifies the highest quality, most affordable, and most appropriate new reference materials in any field. Culling the top reviews from the latest edition of American Reference Books Annual (ARBA), all of the titles in Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers are well reviewed and have price points that will appeal to libraries with tight budgets. This invaluable guidebook gives collection development librarians working in small to medium-sized libraries the best information for choosing new titles for their libraries from the thousands of new reference products (both print and online) that became available in 2015. As with previous editions, readers are assured fair and accurate assessments because all of the reviews are written by experts in the library field and present both positive and negative aspects of the product. Each critical review is coded to clearly indicate which type of library the publication is appropriate for—C for college, P for public, and/or S for school.

Read professional, fair reviews by practicing academic, public, and school librarians and subject-area specialists that will enable you to make the best choices from among the latest reference resources. This newest edition of American Reference Books Annual (ARBA) provides librarians with insightful, critical reviews of print and electronic reference resources released or updated in 2017-2018, as well as some from 2019 that were received in time for review in the publication. By using this invaluable guide to consider both the positive and negative aspects of each resource, librarians can make informed decisions about which new reference resources are most appropriate for their collections and their patrons' needs. Collection development librarians who are working with limited budgets-as is the case in practically every library today-will be able to maximize the benefit from their monetary resources by selecting what they need most for their collection, while bypassing materials that bring limited value to their specific environment. Provides reviews of print and electronic resources, showcasing a wide spectrum for users to consider Presents unbiased evaluations that allow users to make their own decisions on the suitability of a given resource for their patrons' needs Gives users access to reviews containing critical, relevant, and timely information from librarians and subject-area specialists