Shelflessness as a Virtue: Preserving Serendipity in an Electronic Reference Collection

Abstract

The reference collection traditionally rewards serendipity by presenting key resources in a compact group. At the University of Manitoba Libraries, reference collection space is at a premium and, increasingly, electronic versions of reference materials are selected for purchase. However, our space saving comes at a cost: Our patrons can't browse electronic reference materials across various online platforms, and they miss out on potential serendipitous discoveries. This article will outline the problem, look at what Association of Research Libraries libraries offer as online reference collections, and offer possible solutions, including what we hope to do at the University of Manitoba Libraries.

Keywords:

• ebooks
• reference collections
• electronic reference collection
• online reference collections