Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about the broad intersection of data and society. Perhaps the greatest irony of the digital era is that while Silicon ...

At the University of California at Merced’s library, there is no reference desk and there never has been. The way reference services are delivered there would intrigue some and disturb others. At the ...

I know it is a common stereotype for an old guy to complain about how good the kids have it today. I, however, will take a little different approach: We have it so much better today when it comes to ...

For such utilitarian tools, reference management software can inspire strong reactions. Physician Ben Goldacre, for instance, has tweeted at least five times about Paperpile, a subscription-based ...

This is a time of transition in academic libraries. Core functions -- like reference services, collection development, and preservation -- are being rethought and redefined as libraries move from ...

You don’t often turn on a light and think, “That power company is sure on the ball!” You generally only think of them when the lights go out without warning. I think the same is true of search. You ...

One year ago, columnist Brian Kenney wrote a piece for PW titled “Where Reference Fits in the Modern Library.” The column addressed his frustration with the gulf between reference work as he ...

I grew up without a local public library. The Ramapo Catskill Library System in New York provided bookmobile service to my small town, so I at least had access to recreational reading, but it was ...