In this article, the authors discuss how the University of Rochester's two-year ethnographic study reveals what students do on campus and how the library fits in. Under Nancy Fried Foster's guidance, teams of librarians and staff conducted a two-year investigation. The goal: to improve the libraries' reference services, facilities, and web pages…

The authors, both of whom are working at the Musselman library, relate how they are always looking for ways to improve and update their reference service. When they introduced a chat reference service to their online library services, they received only four inquiries in the entire year 2002-2003. The authors found out later that the paltry number…

The Special Libraries' Association (SLA) has conducted salary surveys since 1967, triennially from 1967 to 1990, biennially from 1990 to 1996 and annually from 1997 forward. The objectives of the annual Salary Survey are to: (1) Collect and analyze systematic, accurate information about the salaries of special librarians and information…

If the resort city of Anaheim, California, home of Disneyland and its "imagineers," marked a departure from the urban reality of the typical American Library Association (ALA) annual conference, it was impossible, at this 2008 meeting, to avoid urgent library issues. How do libraries maintain their value and cultural presence as users…

An investigation was conducted into undergraduate students' use of the University of Lagos Main Library at Akoka. (Author)

This reference procedures manual for the Northern Michigan University Library covers: (1) desk service, including handling inquiries, recording statistics, problems, responsibility of assistants, referrals, user assistance with the public access catalog, and reference collections; (2) photocopying; (3) database searching; (4) bibliographic…

A listing is presented of 17 documents in the ERIC database concerning the Online Catalog (sometimes referred to as OPAC or Online Public Access Catalog), a computer-based and supported library catalog designed for patron use. The database usually represents recent acquisitions and often contains information about books on order and items in…

Reports on interviews with two librarians, Winston Tabb and Susan Finsen, of the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. (PF)

An explanation of the federal government's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and how it relates to commercial business publications commonly used as tools by the reference librarian. (JAB)

This draft was prepared by the Reference and Adult Services Division of ALA, and covers the issues of accuracy of information, impartiality of presentation, confidentiality of interview, and financial gain in information service work. (JAB)

A brief rundown on the accomplishments of the copyright subcommittee, the Machine-Assisted Reference Section, the History Section, the publications committees, membership survey, and planning group. (JAB)

Fiscal austerity in libraries has forced some administrators to consider alternatives such as computerized reference services or non-professional staff at the reference desk for reducing the cost of professional reference service. (JAB)

A discussion of the reference desk as a piece of furniture, and how its design affects the reference process. (JAB)

The author presents the reference process as viewed by several published reference interview authorities. Emphasis is on personality and communication skills rather than technical expertise. (JAB)