边缘工具书informal reference book , "borderland" book
最先由马奇提出此概念。见于其为《工具书指南》所作的序Reference Books and Reference Work "There are other books, however, which, while intended primarily to be read through for either information or pleasure, are so comprehensive and accurate in their treatment and so well provided with indexes that they serve also as reference books. such as Cambridge History of American Literature, Cambridge Modern History。称为 "borderland" book。主要依据其信息含量及可检性。该概念的提出，为检索实践开辟了广阔的天地。边缘工具书更重要的是需要树立有关意识，若将其一一列举，将有失神韵。（《教师获取信息技能》一书竟然花70多页篇幅讲解和列举有关边缘工具书，显然理解此概念提出的用义。）根据此观点，参考咨询室不应只收藏工具书，还应包括边缘工具书，以中文为例，如《二十四史》、《十三经注疏》以及其他有参考价值的大型丛书等。
