In　order　to　assess　the　present　state　and　characteristics　of　reference　service　in　Japanesepublic　libraries，　mail　and　field　surveys　were　conducted　on　all　30　city，　town　and　village　librariesin　the　Tama　area　of　Tokyo．　The　surveys　were　designed　to　examine　the　operational　details　ofreference　service　as　well　as　the　extent　to　which　the　libraries　recognized　the　many　other　facetsof　reference　service．　Questionnaires　were　mailed　to　public　libraries　in　July　2001．　Field　surveyswere　conducted　in　late　August．　　　The　results　were：　1）　Answering　reference　questions　is　the　principal　activity　in　referenceservice　and　most　libraries　recognize　answering　reference　questions　as　reference　service．　2）　Mostlibraries　surveyed　do　not　actively　publicize　reference　service，　nor　do　they　arrange　referencematerials　and　equipment　to　provide　access　for　users．　Not　many　libraries　recognize　theseactivities　as　reference　service．　3）　There　is　a　correlation　between　the　level　of　reference　serviceprovided　to　users　and　the　library’s　recognition　of　the　range　of　reference　service．　4）　Referenceservice　is　not　perceives　as　an　important　part　of　library　work　when　compared　with　otherservices，　such　as　circulation．

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