Reviews the literature on reference service, particularly the reference interview, from 1876 to the 1970s and summarizes some research techniques used to investigate the reference encounter. Studies of reference clients are then briefly reviewed, and concerns of reference librarians regarding the level of assistance and the library-client…

This report presents tabulations for the 2008 Academic Libraries Survey (ALS) conducted by the United States Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences. This First Look summarizes services, staff, collections, and expenditures of academic libraries in 2- and 4-year,…

This article reports on a project which was undertaken in 2006 to investigate the current modes and methods for delivering reference services in Australian academic libraries. The project included a literature review to assist in providing a definition of reference services as well as a snapshot of statistics showing staff and patron numbers from…

The paper reports on a collaborative education model involving library education, faculty and public library practitioners preparing under-represented and culturally diverse individuals for employment as support staff in public libraries. The Urban Library Program (ULP) is an intensive ten month education certificate at the para-professional…

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

Cooperative library reference services are listed in this directory by state. The following information is provided for each program: name, date established, name of the administrator, list of participants, type of agreement, sources and amount of support, the services provided, publications, and where to direct inquiries. A copy of the…

This study of reference service measurement in support of professionalism for librarians eliminates the directional vs. reference query distinctions and looks at all reference desk transactions in terms of the number of distinct and definable judgments they require for resolution. (Author/JAB)

A semi-humorous article suggesting that libraries should have both a dictionary catalog and a divided catalog. The author also suggests additional card catalogs, such as a people catalog and a place catalog. (Author)

The use of the telephone as a training device for new reference assistants is described. (NH)

A proposal for librarianship which leaves the role of technician to the computer and the apprentice and provides the librarian the opportunity to serve as a reader and teacher who is in constant contact with students and scholars. (RM)