Like the first two editions, this third edition is designed primarily to provide the beginning student of library and information science with an overview both of the concepts and processes behind today's reference services and of the most important sources consulted in answering common types of reference questions. The first 12 chapters deal with concepts and processes. Chapters in Part I include: "History and Varieties of Reference Services"; "Ethical Aspects of Reference Service"; "The Reference Interview"; "Bibliographic Control, Organization of Information, and Search Strategies"; "Electronic Resources for Reference"; "Understanding Electronic Information Systems for Reference"; "Access-Related Reference Services"; "Instruction"; "Reference Service Improvement: Staff Orientation, Training, and Continuing Education"; "Evaluation of Reference Services"; "Organizing, Delivering, and Managing Reference Services"; and "Reference Services for Specific Populations." All of these chapters have been either rewritten or extensively revised and updated to reflect the current literature and practice of reference librarianship. Chapter 13, "Selection and Evaluation of Reference Sources," serves as an introduction to Part II, which deals with information sources and their use. Chapters 14 through 22 discuss the characteristics and uses of particular types of reference tools. These include: "Directories"; "Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Handbooks"; "Biographical Sources"; "Dictionaries"; "Encyclopedias"; "Geographical Sources"; "Bibliographic Sources"; "Indexes and Abstracts"; and "Government Documents and Statistics Sources." A number of general titles of each type are described, and where appropriate, electronic versions of these sources are noted. Significant electronic titles that have no print counterpart are discussed, as well. Authors of sources chapters have made efforts to include reference tools commonly found in libraries of all kinds, to add discussions of important Canadian sources, and to identify and describe tools useful in the provision of reference service to special populations. Includes Author/Title and Subject indexes. (Contains 228 references.) (AEF)