In 1973, the Technological Institute Library, along with the other science libraries of Northwestern University, began a study of reference use. For each reference request received in the libraries, the date, time, duration, mode, class of question, and user type were noted. These statistics were tabulated and analyzed by computer. It was…

A summary and four papers from a symposium, held at the 1974 American Library Association Conference, dealing with the feasibility and desirability of measuring reference service. (PF)

Summarizes a 1984 survey of four presidential libraries which identified patterns of behavior within groups of researchers. Data were collected on user's academic, professional, or private affiliation; topics of study; advance preparation; and previous archival research. Findings show users of presidential libraries place high value on personal…

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…

Investigates the relationships between reference performance (dependent) variables and various quantifiable reference service characteristics (independent variables such as reference collection size). Statistical analysis indicated that reference performance was significantly related to the size of the reference collection, and to other…

Maher advocates analysis of archival use, outlines methodologies for such analyses, and provides examples of results of two kinds of user studies. Turnbaugh advocates broadening the context of user studies in government archives to include all areas of activity so that the institution is embedded in the processes of government. (EM)

Examines the relationship between bibliographic instruction and reference services in academic libraries. Highlights include historical definitions for the two services; results of a survey of academic librarians that investigated how they are connecting the two services; and recommendations for improving the teaching of information literacy at…

Describes the results of a survey of public service librarians conducted by the Queens Borough Public Library to determine their confidence levels of using electronic resource to answer reference questions. Results demonstrated high confidence levels in using the library's online catalog and lower confidence in using the Internet. (Author/LRW)

A study to determine which reference works are most widely held, the age breakdown of reference holdings, and the relationship between size of school and size of reference holdings in a sample of schools with centralized media programs in Illinois. (Author/LS)

This reference use survey conducted by the Reference Committee of the Southern Connecticut Council in 1972 was undertaken to determine the present pattern of reference use and to assist in future planning. Some of the characteristics of the 18 public libraries participating in the survey include a media per capita expenditure of $4.65 in 1971, a…

Discusses a secondary analysis of a user survey from 13 public libraries to isolate factors that contribute to high levels of performance by reference librarians and to identify reliable indicators that can be used to measure and evaluate reference services. Examined user ratings of reference services by transaction type, either self-generated or…

One of the two major ways of interpreting LibQUAL+[TM] data involves placing perceived service quality ratings within "zones of tolerance" defined as the distances between minimally-acceptable and desired service quality levels. This study compared zones of tolerance on the 25 LibQUAL+[TM] items across undergraduate, graduate student and…

A survey at the University at Albany (New York) on user satisfaction with reference services gathered information on behavioral characteristics of librarians: interest, confidence, friendliness, and enthusiasm, as well as on patron comfort and overall satisfaction. Analysis of the data (n=100) indicates that user satisfaction depends on more than…

Addresses issues of access and policy in developing Web-based interactive reference services via academic library home pages. Discusses results of a national survey that showed that less than half of surveyed institutions use Web-based interactive reference as an extension of traditional reference services. Tables include findings. (Author/LRW)

In order to ascertain what data elements should commonly be considered in the development of a meaningful procedure for recording and analyzing library reference transaction data for planning purposes, a comparison was made between the development, use, and results of surveys designed and tested at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and the…