The Special Libraries' Association (SLA) has conducted salary surveys since 1967, triennially from 1967 to 1990, biennially from 1990 to 1996 and annually from 1997 forward. The objectives of the annual Salary Survey are to: (1) Collect and analyze systematic, accurate information about the salaries of special librarians and information…

Presents 20 multiple-choice and true-or-false questions that can be used to test for basic knowledge of BIOSIS Previews, a large online life sciences database. (MES)

The University of Texas at Arlington's Library began using an online chat reference in 2002. The service, called Collaborative Digital Reference Service, later became "Ask a Librarian." Slightly over one year later, the library joined the University of Texas System's "Ask a Librarian" service. Both services are powered by…

This presentation at a seminar for library staff and students describes the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system as an information system designed to provide users with ready access to primarily English-language literature dealing with education by establishing a database, publishing abstracting journals, and reproducing…

This report includes an account of the RASD program of the American Library Association at the 1979 Dallas Conference with an annotated bibliography on guidelines for information services, and a questionnaire distributed at the RASD Business Reference Services Committee meeting at Dallas, with tabulated results. (JD)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the reference interview is essential in the provision of public library reference service. A survey questionnaire was mailed to 125 small and medium sized public libraries throughout Ohio. The survey was administered in the spring of 1994 with a response rate of 56%. Respondents were asked…

Reports results of 1983 survey of 25 public libraries and 1981 survey of 11 public libraries, both of which focused on facets of online information services--user fees, databases, documentation, equipment, miscellaneous services, and subject areas searched. The 1983 questionnaire and seven sources are appended. (EJS)

Compares traditional online interview with the presearch counseling session (process whereby a librarian, acting in an advisory role, assists client searcher in devising his/her search strategy, before that searcher goes online) and presents a one-step model of a presearch counseling session. An online self-service worksheet and 102-item…

Discusses responses of 937 academic library directors who were surveyed to determine whether their libraries provide services to users outside academic community; whether outside users are charged fees; and what services are provided for fee. Extracts of information (services, staff, comments) received from ten universities are highlighted. Survey…

Eliminates communication apprehension (CA) as a variable influencing the initiation of an interaction between student searcher and reference librarian. Respondents regardless of CA level behave similarly in the search process prior to approaching a librarian. An aided-recall interview form is appended, and there are 14 references. (RAA)

A brief questionnaire was sent to a random selection of 70 librarians in the State University of New York Librarians' Association Directory to determine the frequency of their use of humor at the reference desk and in the library instruction classroom, their perceptions of classroom humor, and their reasons for using humor in these situations.…

For many library patrons, the reference desk is the logical place to begin research on a topic. The purpose of this study is to determine if patrons, given a choice of either a male or a female librarian to approach, have a gender bias when seeking information at the reference desk. A total of 100 library users were unobtrusively observed in the…

This unobtrusive study examined whether the accuracy of reference service provided by student reference assistants (SRAs) and full-time paraprofessional department assistants (DAs) at the Brigham Young University library had improved since 1987. The effects of the following factors on accuracy were also considered: (1) whether a question was…

Using simulated reference questions and a search exercise in a standardized list of subject headings, this test assesses several major skills of reference librarians: question analysis, selection of appropriate source, actual use of the source, and selection of appropriate subject terms. It also provides a means of determining the attitudes of…

Reports on a study of the information-seeking behavior of users of Infotrac, OCLC, Newsbank Electronic Index, and LS/2 at the Bowling Green State University Libraries. Data gathered via interviews are discussed as they pertain to the user's profile; understanding of systems functions; effects on information-seeking behavior; and appropriateness of…