最先由馬奇提出此概念。見於其為《工具書指南》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。稱為 "borderland" book。主要依據其信息含量及可檢性。該概念的提出，為檢索實踐開闢了廣闊的天地。邊緣工具書更重要的是需要樹立有關意識，若將其一一列舉，將有失神韻。（《教師獲取信息技能》一書竟然花70多頁篇幅講解和列舉有關邊緣工具書，顯然理解此概念提出的用義。）根據此觀點，參考諮詢室不應只收藏工具書，還應包括邊緣工具書，以中文為例，如《二十四史》、《十三經註疏》以及其他有參考價值的大型叢書等。
最先由馬奇提出此概念。見於其為《工具書指南》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。稱為 "borderland" book。主要依據其信息含量及可檢性。該概念的提出，為檢索實踐開闢了廣闊的天地。邊緣工具書更重要的是需要樹立有關意識，若將其一一列舉，將有失神韻。（《教師獲取信息技能》一書竟然花70多頁篇幅講解和列舉有關邊緣工具書，顯然理解此概念提出的用義。）根據此觀點，參考諮詢室不應只收藏工具書，還應包括邊緣工具書，以中文為例，如《二十四史》、《十三經註疏》以及其他有參考價值的大型叢書等。
