Search skills of today bear little resemblance to searches through print publications. Reference service has become much more complex than in the past, and is in a constant state of flux. Learning the skill sets of a worthy reference librarian can be challenging, unending, rewarding, and-- yes, fun.

With this handy new guidebook, reference luminary Jo Bell Whitlatch outlines practical methods for evaluating and delivering excellent reference service to the technology-savvy library user of today.

The proliferation of online access to social science statistical and numeric data sources, such as the U.S. Census Bureau's American Fact Finder, has lead to an increased interest in supporting these sources in academic libraries. Many large libraries have been able to devote staff to data services for years, and recently smaller academic libraries have recognized the need to provide numeric data services and support. This guidebook serves as a primer to developing and supporting social science statistical and numerical data sources in the academic library. It provides strategies for the establishment of data services and offers short descriptions of the essential sources of free and commercial social science statistical and numeric data. Finally, it discusses the future of numeric data services, including the integration of statistics and data into library instruction and the use of Web 2.0 tools to visualize data. - Written for a general reference audience with little knowledge of data services and sources who would like to incorporate support into their general reference practice - Combines information on establishing data services with an introduction to available statistical and numeric data sources - Provides insight into the integration of statistics and data into library instruction and the social science research process

In Introduction to Reference and Information Services in Today's School Library, one of America's premier school library educators covers the A-Z of both reference and information services for today's library. Lesley Farmer discusses everything from teaching students how to use sources to both in-person and virtual reference service.

"Works of Dr. Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan (S.R. Ranganathan) need no introduction. They are renowned not because they cover certain facet of library and information science, but because they have been written by the father of library science in india, Dr. Ranganathan. These library science classics have been reprinted to make Dr. Ranganathan's work available to the current generation of librarians and for those to come."

The Rapid Developments In Computer Technology, Telecommunications, Printing Reprography, Etc. Have Important Implications For The Provision Of Information By Libraries To Their Users. Great Advances Have Been Made In The Automation Of Indexing And Abstracting Services. Despite Such Advances And Technological Impacts, The Actual Search Process And The End Result Remain The Same As In The Traditional Approach. Hence, The Significance Of Reference Sources And Services Cannot Be Overemphasised. The Reference Service Offered By The Libraries Enables The Readers To Obtain The Required Information From The Huge Collection Of Libraries In No Time. The Book Is Structured Into Two Parts. The First Part Acquaints The Readers With The Purpose, Functions And Kinds Of Reference Service; Qualities And Duties Of A Reference Librarian; Varied Sections In The Libraries; Reference Service In Public, Academic And Special Libraries; Sources And Classification Of Information, And Reference Queries.Part Ii Of The Book Is Devoted To Reference Sources. Beginning With The Evaluation Of Reference Sources, It Includes A Detailed Study On Directories, Bibliographies, Encyclopaedias, Biographies, Maps And Atlases, Dictionaries, Gazetteers And Guide Books.It Is Hoped That The Present Book Will Prove Useful For All Library Users. While The Teachers, Researchers And Students Of Library Science Will Find It Indispensable, The Reference Librarians Are Expected To Acquire Additional Skills Through This Book Which Shall Stand Them In Good Stead In The Technological Environment.

The most proactive source for business reference librarian information on the market, Business Reference Services and Sources: How End Users and Librarians Work Together shows you that the librarian-customer relationship is as synergistic as ever. It gives you timely facts about how librarians and users work together and how those partnerships are built. In it, you’ll encounter group projects done by faculty, students, external users, and non-librarian supervisors and discover an enlightening spirit of collaboration lacking in most research literature today. Further establishing the marketability of contemporary research librarians, Business Reference Service and Sources goes to the front lines of business reference service, solidifying and updating the librarian-user partnership. You’ll see how research librarians can reach users at the crux of their needs. Overall, individual chapters address the needs of such people as students, business school officials, and corporations. Specifically, you’ll read about these areas: Internet business research and ESL students corporate home pages as supplements to traditional business resources networking with community business sources synergy in the information specialist-customer partnership avoiding information overload in bibliographic instruction the Internet’s impact on government documents assessing the validity of electronic journals underprivileged, nontraditional students and bibliographic instruction Today, in our climate of negative ad campaigns directed at libraries and librarians in general, business reference librarians face many challenges, academic as well as professional. But if you’re one of the vocal, proactive supporters of productive librarian-customer partnerships, this book will help you “grow feet” and move out from behind the restrictive comfort of your desk into the world’s classrooms and manufacturing teams. Certainly, Business References and Sources will convince you that collaborative projects between contemporary reference librarians and end-users are alive and well.

Here is the first introductory guide to all aspects of providing legislative reference services. Unlike special libraries which deal with one specific discipline, legislative reference bureaus must deal with a full spectrum of subject areas and meet the unique needs of elected and appointed officials and their staffs. This guide helps librarians find the best current resources and services to answer the varied demands for information typical of legislative reference libraries. Legislative Reference Services and Sources facilitates the work of legislative librarians and makes them confident so that they can supply legislators and their staffs with the information needed to effectively examine, draft, or enact legislation of benefit to the public. No other book on the market provides such a comprehensive overview of legislative reference services. Author Kathleen Low acquaints librarians with over 100 sources useful in responding to information requests from legislators. A wide range of valuable topics are covered that will help legislative reference librarians meet the information demands of legislators and lawmakers including: an overview of essential reference services needed by legislators and their staffs specific protocols and forms of etiquette to observe when promoting services to elected and appointed officials over 100 frequently consulted titles in legislative references the usefulness of online resources how to recognize special services and sensitivity warranted by patrons and the services and responses to expect in return Legislative Reference Services and Sources addresses the legislative reference services commonly provided, promotion of services, the librarian/client relationship, client expectations, the ethics of responding to certain requests, and the core resources used in legislative reference requests. It is an invaluable tool for beginning level legislative librarians, public services librarians, and state and federal agency librarians who need an introduction to this unique type of information service.

The Fifth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated keeping in view the new developments and appearance of new significant reference sources. Some new readings have also been added to bring further readings. This work not only describes the various aspects of reference service such as functions, methods, principles theories, practices, problems, but also provides an overview of available significant reference books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, yearbooks, bibliographies, union catalogues, almanacs, directories, etc.