A survey of 113 Texas libraries examined characteristics of reference positions to determine whether there were important similarities and differences between public and academic libraries in the areas of professional qualifications for employment; job skills and responsibilities; work scheduling; benefits; and departmental characteristics. The…

This survey of academic public service librarians shows a decline in negative stereotypical perceptions of older adults from earlier studies. However, this may not necessarily indicate a desire to offer services to the elderly, and the factor of self-selection may be present with regard to librarians' involvement with such services. (Author/EM)

Report on a survey of 462 public librarians highlights existing bibliographic practices in managing nonbook media in library collections; attitudes about nonbook media as information sources (cost, informational value, storage and use); and attitudes about bibliographic access to nonbook media (integrated catalogs, classification schemes). Eleven…

The relative effectiveness of the CD-ROM information retrieval system, InfoTrac II, and the manual "Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature," was studied. Seventeen community college students were divided into two groups which researched the same questions either on CD-ROM or in the printed index. Results showed the "Readers'…

A survey of public and academic libraries conducted to obtain information on length of reference desk shifts and proportion of the reference librarian's time spent at the desk found the two-hour weekday shift to be the most common, and that librarians typically work 7 to 21 hours per week at the desk. (EM)

Describes responses of 19 Louisiana academic libraries to questionnaire designed to determine scope and conduct of academic online searching search services. Telecommunications networks, terminals, patrons, library search procedures, methods of charging fees, special features, selective dissemination of information, computer searching by…

Academic librarians in Illinois were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward and recordkeeping practices for online searches. Findings indicate that confidentiality is considered to be as important for online searches as for circulation records, but that recordkeeping practices and attitudes toward subject and client disclosure do not assume…

Results of survey measuring university faculty attitudes toward bibliographic instruction indicated that: frequency of respondent's library use related positively to decision to offer bibliographic instruction and its delivery by librarians; part-time faculty were less aware of library services than full-time faculty; 29 percent of faculty…

Users of a search/document delivery service in a large engineering firm were surveyed to determine the amount and relevancy of information received, time saved by using the service, dollar value of information received, number of employees using or seeing the information, and any improvement in the firm's competitive position. (EM)

Questionnaires were sent to 116 newly appointed reference librarians at academic institutions regarding the extent, content, and evaluation of their introductory training for their new positions. The majority of respondents indicated lack of overall planning and content depth in their training. (Author/EM)

Proposes and investigates feasibility of using three new variables in addition to simple activity counts in measuring reference services: (1) user questioning regardless of where activity occurs; (2) treating individual user and question as unit of analysis; and (3) examination of questioning in context of other library use. (11 references) (EJS)

Presents results of study evaluating reactions of 20 university students and faculty to first-time online database searching on the Bibliographic Retrieval Service's menu-driven BRS/After Dark. Background information on participants, search analysis and problems, end user education needs, and the role of the intermediary are discussed. Four…

Public librarians in Quebec were surveyed to compare their orientation toward a field-specific model of professionalism with their orientation toward a traditional model based on traits derived from other professions. Results indicate that they had a stronger orientation toward the field-specific model to measure the level of professionalism in…