We dismantled our reference collection several years ago.  We transferred some items to circulating and withdrew most of the rest.  There is a small 'ready ref' collection at the reference desk which I'm also thinking of dismantling as we almost never use it.  

And yes, we would rely on the MEL E-Resources for any reference type of materials along with easily findable on credible online sources.  (And yes, credible online sources may become a casualty of AI, but let's not let that ruin our Friday).

Barbara

Barbara Beaton

Assistant Director/Reference Librarian

Milan Public Library

Milan, MI 48160

734-439-1240

www.milanlibrary.org

she/her

From: Tahquamenon Library Director via Michlib-l <michlib-l@liblists.org>
Sent: Friday, May 8, 2026 9:48 AM
To: michlib-l@liblists.org <michlib-l@liblists.org>
Subject: [Michlib-l] Encyclopedias/Reference Materials?
 
Hello Librarians,

These questions are aimed more towards the various school-public libraries, but could be applicable to everyone:

How often do you modernize your reference sections? 
  • Is it on a rolling basis, or an all-at-once deal? 
How broad of a reference section do you maintain?
  • Do Mel resources supplement your reference, or have they replaced them?

I would like to structure reference modernization into our acquisitions, but with the prevalence of the internet, we have seen declining use of the resources by our students and public. An attempt at increasing circulation was made some years ago by moving some materials into the non-fiction sections, but that has not helped to a large extent.

Thanks,

Ross