Described on the agenda as "An Omnium Gatherum for Reference Librarians," this workshop presented by the staff of the Bay Area Reference Center (BARC) cites resources and explains search strategies used by BARC to respond to the types of questions most frequently submitted to them. Methods and tools that may be used by smaller libraries to answer…

This article provides realities in reaction to myths that have developed around online searching based on experience at Northbrook Public Library (Illinois). Discussion covers experience needed by online searcher, use of the multitude of databases, retrieval of relevant material, and cost. Two reference situations utilizing online searching…

Reviews the results of studies that have measured manual and online reference performance in public libraries. Topics discussed include librarian interactions with patrons; characteristics of successful online searches; the recall and precision tradeoff; and the cost effectiveness of online searching. (two references) (CLB)

Reports experimental results of a study of the cognitive aspects of information retrieval which focused on user interaction with document organization, user-librarian negotiation, and the librarian's search procedure. Related studies, the cognitive viewpoint, and experimental design and analysis methods are discussed. Forty-two sources are listed.…

This study of negotiation processes between users and librarians in typical reference situations describes association patterns and search procedures in the information transfer process in terms of theoretical approaches, design, analysis, and findings. The thinking-aloud technique of cognitive psychology was adopted to the project, which involved…

Briefly describes fundamental problems with library reference service based on the findings of 20 separate studies using unobtrusive tests. An emphasis on quality of service, realistic goals, and effective managerial strategies are identified as possible resolutions of these problems. (CLB)

Presents a description of PLEXUS, an expert system on gardening designed as a referral tool for public libraries by the University of London. Highlights include determining user characteristics, developing the problem statement, the use of semantic categories, and search strategies that modify the original problem statement using Boolean…

DIALOG, an interactive, computer-based information retrieval language, consists of a series of computer programs designed to make use of direct access memory devices in order to provide the user with a rapid means of identifying records within a specific memory bank. Using the system, a library user can be provided access to sixteen distinct and…

In November of 1975, a committee was convened at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory to examine the utility of computerized data base searching in the public library setting. Participants reviewed an on-going computer retrieval experiment (DIALIB) being conducted in four San Francisco Bay Area public libraries. Librarians reported that since…

In conjunction with the National Science Foundation (NSD), an on-going experiment is being conducted to test the feasibility of increasing public access to 16 major data bases by providing public libraries with on-line, interactive, retrieval capacity. During the period from January to March 1976, the major activities of the study were: (1) a…

Three studies examined public library reference services use by patrons in Anglo, Hispanic, and Vietnamese communities in California. Interview questions concerned search topics, use of staff help, perceived usefulness of search result, successful search strategies, reasons for not seeking help, foreknowledge of sources, reasons for using the…

Reports on the method and findings of a study which used unobtrusive testing to measure the accuracy and efficiency of search strategies by library personnel when dealing with the technical report literature. A copy of the test questions used in this study is appended. (CLB)

The DIALIB Project was a 3-year experiment that investigated the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible via the telephone using online terminals. The study investigated the following questions: (1) Is online search of use to the patrons of a…

This is the final report of the evaluation of the DIALIB project--an investigation of the public library as a linking agent to major scientific, educational, social, and environmental data bases. The report is presented in seven sections and four appendices as follows: Section I provides an introduction to the study and a brief summary of the…

Discusses ways in which academic and public librarians can provide help with multicultural and international topics in spite of unhelpful subject headings and weak collections, including an awareness of cultural bias; collection policies to support diversity; relearning the collections and access strategies; and restructuring reference searches.…