The core duties of the reference librarian inherently mandate that the work environment is not unlike a kaleidoscope: Students and faculty revolve within and around the library, and reference and public services workers do the same; every move temporarily redesigning the library, its collections, and even its very role on campus into something…

EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) has been heavily used by UMUC students since its implementation in fall 2011, but experience has shown that it is not always the most appropriate source for satisfying students' information needs and that they often need assistance in understanding how the tool works and how to use it effectively. UMUC librarians have…

Medical and health sciences libraries have incorporated the elements of evidence-based practice (EBP) into their reference services, instruction, and online resource development for years. While EBP focuses on the use of medical and health sciences literature in the clinical environment (i.e., making decisions about how to treat a particular…

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…

At the reference desk, librarians engage in an often predictable sequence of instruction with students that centers on assisting students with focusing their topics before they can move to the information collection stage. It is an area of instruction that is often taken for granted and that most faculty are unaware of, but it is critical for…

This presentation at a seminar for library staff and students describes the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system as an information system designed to provide users with ready access to primarily English-language literature dealing with education by establishing a database, publishing abstracting journals, and reproducing…

Discusses the rationale, principles, required tools, advantages, and disadvantages of the Multifile Multidisciplinary (Horizontal) Search approach to searching online databases. It is noted that this approach is characterized by the use of a large number of files spanning a wide variety of disciplines. (12 references) (MES)

Discusses the portions of the World Wide Web that cannot be accessed via directories or search engines, explains why they can't be accessed, and offers suggestions for reference librarians to find these sites. Lists helpful resources and gives examples of invisible Web sites which are often databases. (LRW)

Describes a contract between the reference service of a library system in Illinois and a commercial supplier of information in Berkeley, California, to provide the answers to 200 reference questions for a flat rate of $6000. The contract, considered the first of its kind, successfully relieved a current reference overload. (RAA)

Describes databases frequently used in Business Information Center, Cummins Engine Company (Columbus, Indiana): Dun and Bradstreet Business Information Report System, Newsearch, Dun and Bradstreet Market Identifiers, Trade and Industry Index, PTS PROMT, Bureau of Labor Statistics files, ABI/INFORM, Magazine Index, NEXIS, Dow Jones News/Retrieval.…

This second installment describes databases irregularly searched in the Business Information Center, Cummins Engine Company (Columbus, Indiana). Highlights include typical research topics (happenings among similar manufacturers); government topics (Department of Defense contracts); market and industry topics; corporate intelligence; and personnel,…

Summarizes methods of searching currently available for OCLC, provides list of questions that can be answered with terminal (monographic series, mock subject searching, bibliography, government documents, serials, microforms, music, birth/death dates, corporate bodies, name authority, variant editions, artistic transpositions), and demonstrates…

Discusses advantages and disadvantages of online availability of computerized versions of encyclopedias and notes works currently and soon to be online, searching strategies (subject headings and full-text), cost effectiveness, and librarian skepticism. (EJS)

All of us, regardless of experience or achievement, need an occasional reaffirmation of our core knowledge and beliefs. This un-embellished narrative of a real-life reference interview reinforces the importance of persistent but polite attentiveness to the unexpressed needs of library users and, it is hoped, serves as an inspirational reminder not…