Financial literacy is the ability to understand how money works in a person's day-to-day life: how someone earns money, manages it, invests it, and donates it to help others. As librarians, we must realize that when patrons come to us for guidance in the area of financial literacy, they are trusting us to provide not only reliable information for…

Reference transactions in academic libraries have been on the decline since mid-1990. The Academic Library Survey from the National Center for Education Statistics shows an average drop of 25% in reference use from 1996-2004 with higher numbers at some institutions such as the University of Maryland which plummeted 47% (Martell, 2008). The…

This report presents tabulations for the 2010 Academic Libraries Survey (ALS) conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences. The 2010 ALS population included postsecondary institutions with all of the following: total library expenditures that exceed…

Analysis of data collected from 3,000 academic libraries by the 1977 Library General Information Surveys reveals that library operating budgets, institutional enrollment, and library circulation are the best predictors of reference and directional transactions. Fifty-five percent of the transactions at reference service points are directional,…

This paper argues that the first order of the day in reference collection development is to cope with the problems that developing user-responsive, client-centered reference collections always incur. It is suggested that the responsiveness of reference collections can be measured largely by the currency of the materials in the collection and by…

Explains in simple terms the nature and function of a number of basic types of business and industrial financial ratios. An annotated list of five basic sources for ratios is included and a reference list and bibliography are attached. (JL)

This reference service policy manual provides general guidelines to encourage reference service of the highest possible quality and to insure uniform practice. The policy refers only to reference service in the University Libraries and is intended for use in conjunction with other policies and procedures issued by the Reference Services Division.…

The number of electronic resources has climbed up steadily in recent times. Some of these e-resources are reference sources, mostly in Science, Technology and Medicine (STM), which publishers convert to electronic for obvious reasons. The library budgets for materials usually have two main lines, budget for one time purchase (monographs) and…

Designed to introduce the student to some of the bibliographic tools used to locate information on music in the Fogler Library at the University of Maine, this guide begins by listing examples of relevant Library of Congress subject headings and providing brief explanations of call numbers and classification systems (Library of Congress and Dewey…

This paper discusses the need and provides guidelines for the preparation of policy statements on reference collection development for academic libraries. Policy elements recommended for inclusion are statements on collection objectives, collection scope, physical size, types of material, selector roles, removal procedures, and interdepartmental…

Virginia Commonwealth University reduced its ready reference collection by integrating the majority into the general reference collection. The project was a success and advantages for staff included more time and focus on users; expanded knowledge of collection; and reduced stress. (JMV)

This guide and annotated bibliography is designed to introduce sociology students to the basic research tools in their field that are available in the Fogler Library at the University of Maine. Brief explanations and examples are provided of the relevant Library of Congress subject headings and call numbers used in Fogler Library, as well as the…

Describes a study that examined the information seeking behavior of undergraduate students in Nigeria. The factors examined include the main sources of references to the literature used by students, and the effects of class standing and intellectual disciplines on choices of reference sources. (8 references) (CLB)

The purpose of this policy is to outline those principles that guide the development of the Reference Collection at the Calvin T. Ryan Library, University of Nebraska at Kearney. It clarifies, records, and makes public the basic principles that the members of the Reference Department believe should be applied in adding items to or withdrawing…

This description of the experiences of a graduate student intern in reference services who served as instructor for freshman English classes at the University of Kentucky includes suggestions for teaching techniques and relationships with students and comments on the effects of this experience on his professional growth. (RAA)