As emerging information technologies have driven demand for new library communication channels, there has been increased interest in the use of mobile tools to promote interaction, expand outreach, market programs, and enhance the library experience. Libraries today are at widely different levels of mobile engagement, a gap poised to grow as…

In January 2008, the Belk Library & Information Commons at Appalachian State University combined the Access Services staff members of the Circulation and Lower Level Service Desks with the Reference and Instruction team as part of a library-wide reorganization effort. The new team balanced what had been a staff-dominated Access Services team…

Reference services in public libraries are changing dramatically. The Internet, online databases, and shrinking budgets are all making it necessary for non-traditional reference staff to become familiar with online reference tools. Recognizing the need for cross-training, Chesapeake Public Library (CPL) developed a program called the Database…

It's been well documented in a number of articles regarding the contemporary library patron that with the rise in mobile computing and smart phone technology, patrons are looking for fast and easy service from whichever technological avenue they are using to access library services. Libraries are responding with increasing numbers of online…

Over the years, as new technology became available, the author always tried to use it to improve his interactions with patrons. He wanted to make librarians' services friendlier and more personalized. The author stresses that social software was never really about the software; the "social" part of it was always the most crucial. One of the best…

Quora (www.quora.com) is a contemporary, web-based take on reference. Users post questions within Quora and other users answer the questions. Users can vote for and against answers (or not vote at all). It is users asking questions of friends and strangers and then sorting through the results. If the model sounds familiar, it's because it is.…

This paper identifies key methodological issues affecting quality of data in the evaluation of remote reference services. Despite a growing number of studies in this area, no comprehensive effort has been made to identify potential problems and suggest solutions. The strategies proposed in this paper offer practical ways in which libraries can…

Although the relationship between styles of learning and reference service has been taken for granted within the profession, there has been little empirical research that directly links individual learning styles to optimal reference behaviors. This paper is a call for such research, and illustrates the importance of understanding the relationship…

Library pathfinders are a time-tested method of leading library users to important resources. However, paper-based pathfinders suffer from space limitations, and both paper-based and Web-based pathfinders require frequent updates to keep up with new library acquisitions. This article details a step-by-step method to create an online dynamic…

The job of the contemporary reference librarian has a virtual component unimaginable a generation ago. Today's library professional can obtain an MLS (or equivalent) online with a minimal residency requirement. Not only the degree, but also library sources, and indeed patrons, have become virtual. Both books and periodicals can be consulted by…

In this article, the author describes how she was able to allow her students to talk with author Cynthia Leitich Smith through Skype, a free Internet telephony service. The author also describes how Skype can be used for recording podcasts and enhancing the reference services of libraries. Here, the author shares ideas on using Skype in libraries.

This article provides a brief history of the development of library subject guides (often referred to as pathfinders) from the late 1800s to the present. During this period, subject guides have changed both their focus and format. The needs of academic institutions at the turn of the 20th century were very different than they are today, and…

The authors, both of whom are working at the Musselman library, relate how they are always looking for ways to improve and update their reference service. When they introduced a chat reference service to their online library services, they received only four inquiries in the entire year 2002-2003. The authors found out later that the paltry number…

Herrick Library (Alfred University, Alfred, NY) reference guru of 18 years, Frank McBride, retired recently, leaving a smaller and less experienced staff to collectively handle reference questions. Frank had conscientiously documented much of his experience in a collection of paper files. In this column, the author (Herrick's new coordinator of…

Describes the design and development of the Reference Librarian Enhancement System (REFLES), a microcomputer based system for in-house data files. The REFLES prototype is described in its test form, followed by presentation of the working environment, problems, and evaluation of the current version. Future possibilities of REFLES are also…