The reference interview is a critical function of reference work; what a librarian says and does can either build a relationship of trust and satisfaction with patrons, or serve to distance them from librarians. This pilot study examined the attitudes of academic and public librarians toward the reference interview. Librarians from Kent State…

The Internet is becoming an increasingly important medium of electronic information dissemination, and thus an increasingly important library reference tool. This study examines the Internet skills of a sample group of 15 public reference librarians in the Adult Services Department at the Cleveland Heights Public Library. The Internet skills that…

This paper examines the use of paraprofessionals at reference desks in a random sample of Ohio public libraries. The assumption underlying this research is that before one can address the effectiveness of reference paraprofessionals, it is necessary to understand the extent to which they are used; the tasks they perform; and the conditions…

This study profiles bookmobile libraries operating within the state of Ohio. Details of the services offered to the public by these libraries were gathered through a questionnaire soliciting information about individual programs. The questionnaire was completed by 35 librarians in Ohio--in each case, the librarian most responsible for the…

E-mail reference services in Ohio public libraries was studied using the survey method in January 1999. Through the Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN), the researcher identified 94 Ohio public libraries that have World Wide Web pages that host an e-mail address as a contact method. Fifty-nine questionnaires were returned, resulting in…

This study was designed to discover what the sources of stress are for a reference librarian working in a public library; other objectives included finding out how reference librarians manage stress and identifying their sources of job satisfaction. The study looked at many possible stress factors indicated in the literature review, such as the…

This paper reports on a study conducted to determine if staffing changes were necessary at the information desk at the main branch of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library (Ohio). Questions addressed included: (1) What times are busiest in the library? (2) Should there be changes in staffing the reference desk that could lead to…

The purpose of this study was to determine the current levels of automation and plans for future automation in state-supported, two-year community college libraries. A second purpose was to examine the impact of independent variables, such as enrollment and professional staff, on library automation. Eighty community college library directors and…

Academic libraries in Ohio were surveyed to determine the existence and content of training in customer service offered to library employees in the circulation and reference departments. Surveys were mailed to 127 libraries, and achieved a return rate of 68% (n=87). The survey contained questions about customer service training for both new and…