Reference sources collection in university libraries of Karnataka: a study

Abstract

Studies the reference sources collection, i.e., handbooks & manuals, bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias,

biographies, directories, yearbooks & almanacs, geographical sources, indexing & abstracting sources in seven university

libraries of Karnataka. Among seven universities included for the study, the Mangalore University Library has rich

collection of reference sources. Among the reference collection, dictionaries and encyclopedias are more in number as

against geographical sources of information and directories in university libraries. The study also gives a comparative

analysis of reference collection in university libraries with its number of users. Finds that there is a need to strengthen the

collection of almanacs, maps and atlases, gazetteers, indexing, abstracting and statistical sources in all the university

libraries under study particularly, the handbooks and yearbooks collection in Bangalore University Library and statistical

sources in Karnatak University Library. Almnacs and abstracting sources collection in Kannada University Library has to be

initiated.