Now library professionals can enjoy the convenience of having 16 of Sam Rothstein's most memorable papers, spanning over three decades, all in one lively book. Samuel Rothstein--practitioner, teacher, and scholar--has influenced the thinking and practice of more reference librarians who are currently practicing than has any other single individual. In his honor, the editors of Rothstein on Reference not only feature Rothstein's seminal writing, but they have also included essays written by Rothstein's colleagues--including Charles Curran, Robert Hauptman, Marilyn Domas White, and Mary Biggs--that explore important issues confronting reference librarians today. Reference librarians and library historians will gain insights into the development of reference service in American libraries, the evaluation of reference services, the training and education of reference librarians, and much more. Both beginners and experts in the reference field will find much here for inspiration and enlightenment.

Includes the President's report, and reports to the President from Deans and Directors of each college, school and department.

The essays and talks gathered in Past Imperfect cover a broad range of topics of continuing relevance to the humanities and to scholarship in general. Part I collects Towner's historical essays on the indentured servants, apprentices, and slaves of colonial New England that are standards of the "new social history." The pieces in Part II express his vision of the library as an institution for research and education; here he discusses the rationale for the creation of research centers, the Newberry's pioneering policies for conservation and preservation, and the ways in which collections were built. In Part III Towner writes revealingly of his co-workers and mentors. Part IV assembles his statements as "spokesman for the humanities," addressing questions of national priorities in funding, and of so-called elitist scholarship versus public programs.

Includes proceedings of the Illinois Library Association.