Research consultations are a standard service in academic libraries and consume significant library resources. There is a lack of scholarship evaluating the impact of this service on faculty. This paper describes the impact of librarian consultations on faculty and their role in the research process. Data was collected from a survey of sixty-seven…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive literature review on the utilisation of intelligent agent technology in the library environment. Design/methodology/approach: Research papers since 1990 on the use of various intelligent agent technologies in libraries are divided into two main application areas: digital library…

Library anxiety has been cited as one factor affecting academic performance, but library use is only part of obtaining information for academic needs. This paper expands the concept of library anxiety to "information anxiety" by an examination of the information behavior of black graduate students when using a variety of information resources,…

This paper in the form of story discusses a college student's information search process. In this story we see Kuhlthau's information search process: initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, and presentation. Katie is a student who goes in search of information for her class research paper. Katie's class readings, her interest…

As individuals become more and more comfortable mediating all kinds of situations online and through various technologies, their virtual selves increasingly overlap their "real" lives. Posting a "happy birthday!" message on Facebook is as automatic as dropping a card in the mail. E-mailing relevant links to co-workers happens as naturally as…

Based on a review of the literature, this discussion addresses such key aspects of the librarian's changing role in the online search process as the reference interview, online search evaluation, user training, and information service management. Future trends are noted, and 43 references are listed. (EJS)

An automated retrieval system for reference works was constructed as a prototype in order to illustrate the capabilities and potentialities of future retrieval systems. More than 170 biographical works were indexed and stored in a computer disk to form a biographical data base, and a computer program was written to match patron queries. Consistent…

Study of online searching experience in Martin P. Catherwood Library, New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, presents results of five years of collecting data on bibliographic files accessed. A ranking of 10 most frequently searched files and commentary on pattern that emerges are provided. (EJS)

An explanation of the federal government's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and how it relates to commercial business publications commonly used as tools by the reference librarian. (JAB)

Based on an analysis of online search evaluation forms collected from all types of U.S. libraries, and a pilot test of a draft evaluation form in selected federal research libraries, this report presents the work of the American Library Association's (ALA's) Machine-Assisted Reference Section (MARS) Committee on Measurement and Evaluation. The…

Reports results of user survey complemented by personal discussions organized to ascertain users' satisfaction with and impact of On-line Information Service (OLIS) introduced by University of Hong Kong Libraries in January 1980. Subject searches, relevance of citations, and costs are discussed. The questionnaire and OLIS requests form are…

A telephone reference service operated by the Library of Congress provides immediate service to congressmen with the help of automated information files. (PF)

A study was conducted of the International Information Service in Physics, Electrotechnology, Computers, and Control (INSPEC) selective dissemination of information (SDI) user profile generation. Five degrees of user involvement in the generation of profiles were investigated ranging from having the user provide only a statement of subject…

Investigates relationships among: techniques used by search analysts during interviews with users before engaging in online retrieval of bibliographic citations ("open" and "closed" questions, pauses of different lengths); amount of new information gained by user as result of search; and user's satisfaction with quality of…

The reference librarians' task is to provide specific information as needed by users, rather than to teach them the mechanics of finding the information themselves. (LS)