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…

The reference librarians' task is to provide specific information as needed by users, rather than to teach them the mechanics of finding the information themselves. (LS)

The physical layout of the library, a lack of communication between librarian and user, or constraints imposed by administrators may prevent the reference librarian from giving the best possible service. (LS)

Highlights of four special collections: British Broadcasting Company Reference Library; National Film Archives and Book Library of the British Film Institute; Theatre Section of the Victoria and Albert Museum; and the Shakespeare Collection of the Birmingham Municipal Reference Library. (LS)

The conference was held by the North Country Reference and Research Resources Council as a means of communicating and cooperating with Canadian libraries situated in close proximity to the Northern New York State libraries composing the Council. Topics covered by invited speakers and round table discussions included: (1) cooperative library…

The Reference and Interlibrary Loan Service (RAILS) is a cooperative funded service located at the Ohio State University and serves the other eleven state-assisted universities in Ohio. During its first year (July 1, 1969 through June 30, 1970) this service received 7126 requests of which only 1241 were unfilled, 4197 were requests for photocopies…

An American librarian cast himself in the role of a user and made a series of relatively disciplined visits to a substantial number of middle-sized and middle-aged British university libraries during 1966-67 to study the provision of services and the use of materials and resources in British academic libraries. After two months of preliminary…

Few standards for reference services have appeared in the past, therefore guidelines for reference librarians at the University of Michigan--Dearborn library are offered. The guidelines presented are based upon reference standards prepared by the Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD) Standards Committee for the ALA Centennial Conference in…

Library networks place a demand on the reference librarian to know the potential of all information resources within the network. (PF)

Suggests that, upon close inspection, an increase in the use of paraprofessionals at the reference desk is undesirable due to false assumptions about the ability of patrons to ask for what they want and of professional librarians to provide better service at higher levels of efficiency. (JD)

A lighthearted expose of non-typical patrons and their use and abuse of the reference librarian. (JAB)

Discussion of the guidelines which were prepared "to establish a conceptual framework of service" for all libraries by the Standards Committee of the Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD) of the American Library Association. (JAB)

This evaluation of the DIALOG Medical Connection, a new user-friendly system that provides access to several online health sciences databases, describes searching, changing databases, documentation, online help, access, costs, and training, and compares the features of this system with those of other systems that are currently available. Three…