What is a ready reference collection? A stack of reference books selected according to personal interests? Each institution is unique in its needs and so are the collections that each library carries. The curricula and programs determine the collection development policies and the student population justifies the needs for their implementation. Is a ready reference collection a list of online links, randomly selected, that provide quick resolution to the reference queries? New library technologies may have added to the dispute in this field but they cannot be dissociated from the wealth of a reference collection. The balance is in the hands of dedicated professionals who see themselves as learners in search of the best source for the best answer. (Contains 1 note.)