Reference at its core: the reference interview

The 2002 Annual Conference of the American Library As sociation was remarkable in that it included two major pro grams about reference services: The RUSA-sponsored program "The Future of Reference" and the RUSA Presi dent's Program "The Reference Interview: Connecting In Person and In Cyberspace." The two programs clearly struck a chord in the profession, with literally hundreds of reference librarians turning out to hear selected experts talk about their futures. As the only speaker invited to partici pate in both programs, I gained a unique perspective on these issues.