Encouraging librarians to incorporate critical thinking skills and active learning techniques in their course instruction requires more than talking about it in a department meeting or distributing articles on the topic. At Old Dominion University (Virginia), librarians have tried conducting workshops, had readily-accessible binders of articles…

In spring 1994, a survey on reference service policies was mailed to 119 members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Seventy-one responses (60%) were received from libraries that offer reference services on a college or university campus. Less than half of the responding libraries have written policy statements, and of those that did,…

To determine if further library-services issues require more study and whether further initiatives should be undertaken, the Division for Library Services of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction conducted a focus-group study. Nineteen library directors from small public libraries took part. Eight services librarians or directors from…

This manual was designed to give student employees of the Mitchell Memorial Library at Mississippi State University an understanding of what to expect from faculty and staff, and what is expected of all student employees of the Library. In general, the manual is aimed at helping student employees: develop a philosophy of service and promote a…

The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of presently employed documents professionals at ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries. A survey covering educational background; continuing education activities; organizational affiliations; documents experience; staffing; type of arrangement of the documents collection;…

The role of academic reference librarians is taking new shape with the continuous development of library technologies. In addition to their traditional bibliographical, academic, and personal competencies, librarians also have to possess technological expertise in order to gain access to automated library processes both for themselves, and for…

This examination of the philosophy and objectives of academic library reference services provides an overview of the major reference approaches to fulfilling the following primary objectives of reference services: (1) providing accurate answers to patrons' questions and/or helping patrons find sources to pursue their research needs; (2) building…

This program plan for online reference service--the individualized assistance provided to a library patron using an online system--at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, covers the areas of funding, eligibility for online services, search request eligibility, database eligibility, management of online services, reference faculty…

An informal handbook for both the undergraduate and graduate student in education, this guide begins by briefly describing and explaining the card catalog, Library of Congress Subject Headings, Library of Congress Classification System, and the Dewey Decimal System. It then lists some of the more useful materials and reference works basic to…

This planning proposal recommends that Memphis State University Libraries make information on CD-ROM (compact disc--read only memory) available in the Reference Department by establishing an Information Retrieval Center (IRC). Following a brief introduction and statement of purpose, the library's databases, users, staffing, facilities, and…

This handbook was developed for hearing impaired students at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf located at Rochester Institute of Technology. An illustrated guide to the main library on campus, it is language-appropriate for deaf students in a postsecondary education program, and may be used independently or in conjunction with formal…

This report contains a series of documents from, and a summary of responses to a telephone survey of, 23 research libraries. Documents and survey responses cover services to the business community by both members and nonmembers of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Introductory materials include a summary of relevant issues, a copy of…

Included in this collection of papers from the Louisiana Library Association's Academic Section 1982 Micro Symposium are (1) an overview of the history and changing role of academic libraries by Jane P. Kleiner; (2) "Afro-American Literature and the Contemporary Publishing Industry," a paper by Dorothy Davis which discusses the present state of…

Describes how a librarian, assisted by a knowledge engineer, developed a computerized reference assistance system for a separate government documents department. Rationale for the expert system, problems in selecting reference materials and user questions to computerize, and the formulation of a workable human/computer interface are covered. A…

The second of two articles on the acquisition and implementation of a large laserdisk service at Texas A&M University covers equipment and supplies, future plans, service, staffing, training of staff and patrons, and statistics. A floor plan, user instruction sheet, and news release are included. (MES)