This guide to adult reference works and services for the small or medium-sized public library is divided into two sections. Section One lists 559 numbered items arranged in 22 subsections, and 222 additional items in notes following entries or at the end of the relevant subsection. Subject areas are as follows: guides and bibliographies; general works; biography and related areas; philosophy, religion, and ethics; language dictionaries; literature; visual arts; applied arts; crafts and hobbies; performing arts; music; archeology and history; social sciences; sociology and social issues; geography and area studies; education and career guidance; political science and law; business and economics; science; applied sciences; home life and social customs; and sports and recreation. Each item listed is briefly annotated, and a purchase plan for each topic suggests when, and in what order, the reference tools listed in the chapter should be purchased. Section Two contains 10 essays on the planning and managing of reference services, and on situations and problems frequently encountered by reference librarians: (1) "Planning and Managing Reference Services"; (2) "Reference Services Policy Manual"; (3) "Reference Collection Development"; (4) "Weeding the Reference Collection"; (5) "Levels of Reference Service"; (6) "The Reference Interview"; (7) "Answering Reference Questions"; (8) "Problem Patrons and Special Situations"; (9) "Building Local Information Files"; and (10) "Computerized Search Services." References and/or further readings are listed for each of the essays, and both subject and title indexes are provided. (EW)