1. An apparatus for managing reference environments, the apparatus comprising: a computer readable memory device storing a plurality of reference environments associated with a user, each reference environment containing entries, each entry reflecting a document, the computer readable memory device storing data structures further comprising: a network directory services system comprising directory services objects operably related in a hierarchical tree, each directory services object corresponding to an entity, and the hierarchical relationships corresponding to the relationships between the entities; a location object, being an instance of a directory services object, containing reference environment attributes, and identifying the reference environments, for controlling access to the reference environments by a user in accordance with the reference environment attributes; and a processor for executing a reference environment manager programmed to create, manage and modify the plurality of reference environments, the reference environment manager being independent from the directory services system and effective to create and modify the entries, and for executing a browser for navigating the plurality of reference environments.