The Basic Business Library: Core Resources
Fourth Edition [Hardcover]

p>Bernard

S.

Schlessinger

(Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1573565121 | ISBN-13: 978-1573565127 | Edition: 4

The fourth edition contains an updated core list of the best current business resources, as well as a collection of new essays on important topics in business librarianship. Entries in the core list provide full bibliographic information, online ordering information, brief descriptions of authority and scope, and brief evaluations of the works' strengths and weaknesses.

The essays cover such topics as:

· Marketing the business library

· Organizing business libraries and information centers

· Acquiring business books

· Developing a business reference collection

· Accessing government documents

· Evaluating online and investment resources

· Assessing the state of business libraries in 2001

This volume will serve as a checklist of essential business reference tools that smaller libraries can use to evaluate their collections, and provides a guide to the best practices for smaller libraries seeking to begin or expand a business reference collection. The collection of essay also makes the book useful for library science courses in business reference.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This new edition preserves the objectives of the 1983 and 1989 volumes but updates and revises the second edition (Pro-fessional Reading, LJ 4/15/89). Numerous new titles have been added as well as obsolete or out-of-print titles deleted. The 200 titles now included have a total cost of $38,000, so obviously librarians will still have to be selective. The review of business reference literature now covers the years 1976-94, a time period that has seen the business section grow in importance to patrons. Online business services have multiplied and increased in usefulness; Sharon L. Criswell improved and updated that section. Another area of growth and importance is the chapter on "The Best Investment Sources" by Barbara A. Huett. The Investment Bookshelf list alone will endear librarians to investors, as passbook savings no longer provide even a hedge against inflation. Buy wherever possible and share with colleagues-no other collection depends so much on currency.
Susan Awe, Jefferson Cty. P.L. System, Arvada, Col.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

This revised edition reflects the dramatic changes in the world of business reference and resources over the past seven years. Since the last edition, the Internet and online access to information have become more affordable and more pervasive in libraries of all sizes.

Part 1, "Core List of Printed Business Reference Sources," has been extensively examined, evaluated, updated, and revised. Titles selected for inclusion--a collection of 210 resources with a 2002 total cost of $65,204.98--reflect the changes in the economy and business culture. Whenever possible less costly alternative titles are mentioned, and there are suggestions for items that could be purchased every two, three, or even five years. Each entry is listed alphabetically by title in the core list and includes title, author, place of publication, publisher, date, cost, publisher URL if available, authority and scope, and short evaluation of the resource's strengths and weaknesses. This list is essential as a checklist for business reference tools.

A new, important chapter, "Marketing the Business Library," has been added to part 2, "Business Reference Sources and Services: Essays." The chapter "Continuing Training of the Business Information Professional in the 1990s" was dropped. A bibliographic essay on business libraries replaces the chapter on "Literature of Business Reference and Business Libraries." The other essays were totally revised by expert practitioners. Most have new authors, and the online databases chapter was reviewed by three consultants. Prices for online resources are not included because many factors influence them.

In its fourth edition, this book will once again be used as a guide to best practices for small libraries seeking assistance in business reference. Lorna Daniells' Business Information Sources (Univ. of California, 1993), long a standard in business reference, is now very out of date. The Basic Business Library should be used in conjunction with Michael R. Lavin's third edition of Business Information: How to Find It, How to Use It (Oryx, 2001) to complete the business resources picture. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood; 4 edition (December 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573565121
• ISBN-13: 978-1573565127
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,549,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide for Coll. Development in the Business Librar, November 30, 2001

By 

"cschwein" (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Basic Business Library (Hardcover)

I used this book to prepare a paper on the collection development policy for the business administration section of a college library. It is a great annotated bibliography and serves as a useful tool for both the academic and public librarian.