This study examined the usability of five virtual reference services--instant messenger chat, e-mail, telephone, text messaging, and Skype videoconferencing--by having 31 undergraduate and graduate students evaluate the usability of the virtual reference services of two different universities. The study's results suggest that user preference and…

While a great deal of literature on embedded librarians in academic libraries is focused on the role of instructor, there are many other services that could be provided by librarians working closely with students. The Kresge Business Administration Library (Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan) has created a unique…

This article focuses on the model used at the University of Kansas Medical Center to reach graduate students in the School of Nursing. Like many students returning for graduate degrees, distance students are balancing the demands of professional positions, graduate studies, and family life. Topics addressed include: point-of-need assistance,…

East Tennessee State University has a diverse student population of approximately 12,500 students. Recent statistics have indicated that the student body is bypassing the physical library building, including reference services, and connecting to online sources from off campus. With only six public service librarians whose duties include…

There's no shortage of library management books out there--but how many of them actually tackle the little details of day-to-day management, the hard-to-categorize things that slip through the cracks of a larger handbook? "Library Management Tips that Work" does exactly that, addressing dozens of such issues facing library managers, including: (1)…

Discusses the application of win-win mindsets and strategy in the employment of LIS (library and information science) graduate assistants in academic library reference services. Considers recruitment, training and support, transition, treating graduate assistants as colleagues, differences from graduate assistants who are not LIS students, and…

Examines how history graduate students seek information and how they use the university library in their information-seeking process, based on interviews at UCLA. Explores the use of new technologies and the reliance that history graduate students place on reference librarians and librarians in special collections. (Author/LRW)

Describes a method of library staff training based on chat transcript analysis in which graduate student workers at a university reference desk examined transcripts of actual virtual reference desk transactions to analyze reference interviews. Discusses reference interview standards, reference desk behavior, and reference interview skills in…

Demonstrations to graduate education students on the use of the ERIC database for research of children's literature materials involved using the thesaurus and subject indexes. Electronic searches served as follow-up to the classroom instruction, and the advantages of online searching were illustrated through various approaches used to retrieve…

Discusses interviewing techniques in two steps: determining user's knowledge of and expectations for computerized literature searching, including beginning the interview and dealing with misconceptions, and the search strategy. The figure provided illustrates four stages of a thesis proposal and the related literature search purposes as aids in…

Designed for the undergraduate student who is doing research on public international law and graduate students in fields other than law, this guide is specifically addressed to students at San Francisco State University, although the resources discussed are typical of those to be found in a medium-sized academic library. The guide is divided into…

A training manual created by a reference librarian at Kent State University who was responsible for training and supervising graduate library science students for reference work, this handbook is offered as a guide to librarians for developing a training program for preprofessionals or nonprofessionals who work at a library reference desk. The…

Describes a project developed at the Northern Virginia office of Central Michigan University (CMU) to analyze reference questions received at an off-campus library services program for graduate students. The development and use of a software program--the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS/PC+ Studentware--is explained. (LRW)

In a pilot program for meeting their need for additional reference and instructional personnel, the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico employed and then evaluated two graduate students. Administrators concluded that graduate assistants can make valuable contributions to reference, information, and instructional services if they are…

Reports results of a study which gathered exploratory data about reference services to library school students via a questionnaire sent to librarians, faculty, and students. Possible contradictions between the daily reality of reference work and the idealism of reference codes of ethics which demand equal service for all patrons are considered.…