Reference librarians are constantly balancing their reference duties against other duties, for example, collection development and departmental liaison. The author works as a reference librarian at Texas A&M University-Commerce Libraries in Commerce, Texas. The university has approximately 11,000 students, a large number of whom are…

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…

Each year the State Library sends annual report forms to California's public, academic, special, state agency, and county law libraries. Statistical data from those reports are tabulated in this publication, with directory listings published in the companion volume, "California Library Directory." For this fiscal year, 389 libraries of…

Describes how reference librarians can help patrons use machine-readable data files. (PF)

Librarians are provided with three samples of Reference Question Forms," and useful advice on how to compile library statistics on reference questions. (MF)

This study analyzes statistics of 17 public services units of the University of Colorado at Boulder libraries, measuring frequency of question-asking, types of questions and staff responsibility. The study seeks to determine fluctuations of reference service workloads over time, department staffing and training needs, and to provide supervisors…

Discusses four basic aspects of data reference work: 1) How files are created as related to the main sources for acquisition of data files; 2) What publications help to identify available data files; 3) What variables appear in which data files; 4) What information about the physical medium of file storage is needed to use the file on a computer.…

The results of a two-month study on the costs of interlibrary loans at a small university are presented by using comprehensive tables. (3 references) (DH)

Reference statistics were collected and analyzed for a three-year period from Fall 1975 to Summer 1976 at the Pennsylvania State University Main Undergraduate Library. Reference questions were classified and recorded in three categories: (1) search, (2) ready reference, and (3) directional. Hour of question, interlibrary loan, book, and telephone…

The nature of criminal justice as a discipline and types of statistics it requires are discussed. Also included are descriptions of bibliographic sources of criminal justice statistics literature (criticizing methods used in gathering and presenting data and reporting statistics) and reference sources to primary sources of statistics. Sixteen…

A summary of the major activities of the Library of Congress (LC) is given for a 15 month period ending September 30, 1976. Highlighted are the activities of the Congressional Reference Service, Processing Department (acquisitions, cataloging, and networking), Federal Library Committee, Copyright Office, Reader Services Department, major exhibits,…

Work sampling is an effective device for testing efficiency in the use of library materials and personnel. An administrator can determine whether circulation or reference librarians are effectively using their time and whether the work flow should be reorganized. Key operations of a sampling should include definition of a problem, identification…

Summarizes a study of the use of reference service at Sterling Memorial Library, the central research library of Yale University. (PF)

A descriptive study was conducted employing questionnaires distributed to users and staff members. The adequacy of informational and instructional staff performances, their attitude toward patrons, and the relative proportions of reference and nonreference questions were explored. It was recommended to the staff that methods of performance…

Most of the statistics reported in this Service Record were supplied by the U.S. Office of Education (USOE), National Center for Educational Statistics. USOE compiled the statistics from the information available in the library section of its 1971 Higher Education General Information Survey. The statistics reported are for the 1970/71 school year.…