Good reference librarians need to be good interviewers. Unfortunately most librarians have not learned to use the technique of open questions to obtain information about the user and what he is looking for. Examples of open and closed questions with typical responses are given. (4 references) (DH)

The value of the verification of requests for periodical articles as recommended by the Interlibrary Loan Procedure Manual'' is brought to issue. (1 reference) (Author/NH)

A committee of the Reference and Adult Services Division of ALA has prepared a list of the outstanding reference books published in 1972. Topics include films and theater, history and geography, religion and sports, and hobbies. (67 references) (DH)

Teaching of reference and subject bibliography in British Library schools has changed in content and method in the last decade. The reasons are: the British Library Association has revised its syllabi and examining methods, undergraduate courses have been established at non-university schools, and the teachers of reference have become…

The University of Hawaii Graduate School of Library Studies field tested, and found adequate, a programed text, self-study approach for a course in library reference services. (1 reference) (SJ)

The library education program used to indoctrinate the large student body at the University of South Florida is discussed. (NH)

Humorous discussion of the role of a junior college reference librarian as a teacher. (JS)

A list of last year's outstanding reference books, prepared especially for Library Journal" and recommended by a committee of the Reference Services Division of the American Library Association. (58 references) (Author)

A selection of recent scholarly and foreign works of interest to reference workers in university libraries. (NH)

Two services provided by the Boeing Co. Aerospace Group Library-Literature searches and reference/publication identification activities-were evaluated by written and oral surveys of the library's users. The survey technique and cost savings reported by the two studies are discussed. (2 references) (Author/NH)

Reference librarians must, if they hope to survive, retool in preparation for becoming the interface between the patron and computer-based information systems. This involves sharpening the interview technique and understanding where to plug into the information flow process. (4 references) (Author)

Some titles to implement the clippings files and provide quick research sources for information which might not be available in other reference tools in the library are suggested. (Author/AB)

Discusses problems of increasing numbers of databases (standardization, vendor contracts, training, restricted access, duplicate citations), noting implications for change in librarian's role as supplier of decision making data (education, users groups, search aids, information brokers, collection evaluation, reference and source databases,…

Narrates experiences at Randolph Macon College Library in instituting an online search service and offers suggestions to those considering starting service. Proposals, equipment, selecting vendors, search aids, training, planning, policy, promotion, population served, uses and effectiveness, impact on workload and interlibrary loan, and records…

Survey of 56 public reference librarians from New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania reveals that they perceive reference service as comprising question answering (34 percent); locating information (30 percent); service (17 percent); providing materials (7 percent); aiding readers in library use (4 percent); telephone referral (2 percent); 100 percent…