The all-in-one "Reference reference" you've been waiting for, this invaluable book offers a concise introduction to reference sources and services for a variety of readers, from library staff members who are asked to work in the reference department to managers and others who wish to familiarize themselves with this important area of…

The chapters in this volume, originally presented at the Third Annual Virtual Reference Desk (VRD) conference, "Setting Standards and Making It Real," (Orlando, Florida, November 2001), were organized, revised, and updated to reflect current technology and practice. The VRD conference and the ideas in this book represent the cutting edge…

Since the publication of the third edition of this book in 1961, numerous changes have occurred in the policies, procedures, functions and technology of academic librarianship. The present volume incorporates the literature of the past 13 years, and the author concludes that while the changes implied through the literature are significant and…

In a study conducted to compare the results of two methods of instruction for the use of periodical, book, and newspaper indexes, the traditional lecture approach and self-study guide were investigated. Two library science classes were divided into two groups, and then divided further according to sex and class status. A self-study guide was…

Long a controversial topic in the specialized world of reference librarianship, unobtrusive evaluation is a useful tool in gauging the degree to which reference librarians are effectively performing their jobs. Based on a nationwide survey of government documents reference service in Canada, This book examines the broad philosophical implications…

Librarians need to be aware of the technologies involved with change and the ways in which technologies will impact the total organization and its provision of services. The library school curriculum must be restructured in order to prepare future librarians for the reality of technological change and help them become able to manage information in…

This College Library Information Packet (CLIP) Note surveys training programs in small and medium-sized academic libraries. In August 1995, 265 small and medium-sized academic libraries were sent a questionnaire; the response rate was 78% (n=206). A comprehensive analysis of survey results is followed by examples of training documentation…

A series of five runs comprised of 20 searches each were carried out in a three-year span of the INSPEC data base. The same queries were processed manually in the corresponding volumes of Science Abstracts, and comparison of the output of each search method exposed reasons for the failures. Emphasis is laid on the fact that a query comprises other…

A collection of 30 library articles published between November 1974 and November 1975 is divided into three sections. The 11 articles in the "Libraries and Librarians" section run the gamut from the part-time librarian to the administrator, from history and philosophy to humor. "Technical Services/Readers' Services" contains 16 articles covering…