Discusses the role of technology in library reference interactions and suggests the need to focus more on what the users bring to the reference interaction. Topics include how the Internet impacts reference; the role of information literacy; representational and system models; users' mental models; studies in mental models; and reconstructing…

Discussion of librarians' training for teaching user education focuses on experiments at the University of North Texas in providing resources and empowering education for librarians and staff members who teach. The use of computer-based education principles and Ranganathan's laws of library science are explained. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the librarian's intermediary role in the dissemination of information. The user's information-seeking process, reference negotiation, and bibliographic instruction are also considered, and an overview of this theme issue is provided. (LRW)

Discusses trends in library reference services, focusing on the needs of the individual user. Highlights include the effects of CD-ROM; the growth of online systems; tiered reference service structures; roving reference librarians; going out to users; user studies; and bibliographic instruction. (LRW)

Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of patrons and reference librarians as sources of data for the evaluation of the effectiveness of answers to reference questions. Describes the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation program and considers staffing patterns, time spent, collection size, and bibliographic instruction. Reference Transaction…