From Booklist
First published in 1990, this second edition contains entries on 930 reference works, making it almost one-third larger than its predecessor. The content is still organized in 14 chapters by topic, format, and country. The chapters cover bibliographies, historical statistics, biographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and atlases, to give only a few examples. Each entry is helpfully numbered and includes useful bibliographical information and an evaluative annotation and frequently provides references to related works not listed in the volume. The index provides personal name and title access. Especially noteworthy are the listings of core journals and the extensive coverage of Web sites, databases, and CD-ROMs.
The editors are to be commended for mining the huge historical reference literature and compiling this compact and superbly researched guide. Nicely designed with easy-to-read type, this unique and updated work is highly recommended for both reference and acquisition librarians in public and academic libraries. The chapter on bibliographies lists Reference Books Bulletin as "one of the premier sources of reference reviews in the United States." Even if the editors hadn't offered this trenchant and wise observation, the volume is still outstanding! Donald Altschiller
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