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Reference on the Go: A Model for Mobile Reference Services in Libraries

ABSTRACT The following article is the first in an ongoing series entitled “Perspectives from the Developing World,” giving voice to authors beyond Europe and North America. The concept of reference has greatly changed because of the increasing digital presence of reference material. The advent of mobile communication systems and the need for getting correct reference on the move has prompted many libraries to offer mobile related services. Most of the reference sources are now available as mobile-specific products, but there is no comprehensive single mobile interface that can be called as an alternative to the traditional reference desks. This article looks at the evolution of reference services over the years with special reference to creating a mobile reference application for an academic library taking the University of Swaziland Library as a case study.