The purpose of this study is to synthesize the theoretical systems concerning the necessity, methods, contents, and institutions of the continuing education for academic reference librarians in Korea, and to present a direction after performing a survey research to the librarians and grasping the phenomena on the basis of the system. The necessity, participation, contents, and performing institutions of continuing education were examined in detail, and the correlations among the sub-groups divided by gender, age, academic level of study, career as a librarian were analyzed. Also the direction of continuing education for reference librarians was presented on the basis of the analysis. On the basis of the analyzed contents, the following three methods for an ideal form to the continuing education of the reference librarians were presented in this thesis. 1) It is desirable that the continuing educations are performed at a professionalized institutions such as a library and information science department in a college and an education center for librarians which offers the Certificates of Advanced Study(CAS) as a librarian. 2) It is necessary to develop the various types of educational program in which a working reference librarian may take more chances to study during vacation, weekends, or in the evening time. 3) It is necessary to develop the proper educational contents that reference librarians want, and to educate the librarians in order for them to keep pace with the change of times.