This report includes an account of the RASD program of the American Library Association at the 1979 Dallas Conference with an annotated bibliography on guidelines for information services, and a questionnaire distributed at the RASD Business Reference Services Committee meeting at Dallas, with tabulated results. (JD)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the reference interview is essential in the provision of public library reference service. A survey questionnaire was mailed to 125 small and medium sized public libraries throughout Ohio. The survey was administered in the spring of 1994 with a response rate of 56%. Respondents were asked…

Reports results of 1983 survey of 25 public libraries and 1981 survey of 11 public libraries, both of which focused on facets of online information services--user fees, databases, documentation, equipment, miscellaneous services, and subject areas searched. The 1983 questionnaire and seven sources are appended. (EJS)

Discusses responses of 937 academic library directors who were surveyed to determine whether their libraries provide services to users outside academic community; whether outside users are charged fees; and what services are provided for fee. Extracts of information (services, staff, comments) received from ten universities are highlighted. Survey…

A brief questionnaire was sent to a random selection of 70 librarians in the State University of New York Librarians' Association Directory to determine the frequency of their use of humor at the reference desk and in the library instruction classroom, their perceptions of classroom humor, and their reasons for using humor in these situations.…

Reports on a study of the information-seeking behavior of users of Infotrac, OCLC, Newsbank Electronic Index, and LS/2 at the Bowling Green State University Libraries. Data gathered via interviews are discussed as they pertain to the user's profile; understanding of systems functions; effects on information-seeking behavior; and appropriateness of…

Demonstrates the application of a marketing technique, conjoint analysis, to the measurement of users' preferences for service patterns in an academic library. Eight references are cited. (FM)

Discussion of reference question negotiation by librarians focuses on a study at the Orem (Utah) Public Library that was conducted to determine how frequently the reference staff negotiated questions, how frequently negotiated questions received correct answers, and what verbal and nonverbal communication skills led to correct answers. (five…

Patron service is a high priority in the library setting and alleviating a large percentage of the directional questions will provide librarians with more time to help patrons more thoroughly than they are able to currently. Furthermore, in view of the current economic trend of downsizing, a navigational computer system program has the potential…

This research report presents the results of a survey of public libraries that serve areas where populations are 25,000 or fewer individuals. The long range goal of the study was to gather data that would help to initially describe some of the circumstances in which and because of which rural information services exist and endure. Questionnaires…

This survey of online search service centers in Canada was conducted to provide data on these centers and, more specifically, on the characteristics of the human search intermediary; and to provide an accurate overall picture of online searching in Canada. The survey questionnaires were mailed to approximately 765 Canadian customers of seven…

This study, which focused on the extent to which Lake Forest College (Illinois) students were aware of library reference services, used interviews and a revised version of a survey used elsewhere. Findings showed student awareness to be relatively high, and that the methodology would work well in other undergraduate settings. (Author/EM)

Results of this study evaluating library reference service indicate a statistically significant difference at the .05 level between obtrusive and unobtrusive evaluation methods. Library staff answer a greater proportion of questions correctly when they are aware of being evaluated. The 30 questions used, a report form, and references are included.…

Describes an experiment that examined the effect of nonverbal communication conveyed by touch, forward lean, and smile combined with the effect of gender on patrons perceptions of the library, librarians, and themselves. Possible reasons for the lack of correlation among these factors are discussed and the questionnaire used is appended. (35…

Describes a plan developed by the Phoenix Public Library that involved all librarians working in branches in defining what constitutes excellence in professional performance in the areas of collection development, reference and reader's advisory services, and community interaction. Characteristics related to excellence are identified, and…