Visitors to the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University may have noticed the recent appearance of the color red as student employees promote the value of reference desks with the slogan ...

For years, we’ve been hearing that traditional library reference service is dead. In reality, reference just disappeared, like Jimmy Hoffa. But unlike in the case of Hoffa, no one in the library field ...

A new question has been popping up for the Rochester Public Library’s reference desk. Could the water leak that damaged much of the second floor point to a way to engage more library users? "Having ...

At the University of California at Merced’s library, there is no reference desk and there never has been. The way reference services are delivered there would intrigue some and disturb others. At the ...

This is a time of transition in academic libraries. Core functions -- like reference services, collection development, and preservation -- are being rethought and redefined as libraries move from ...

One year ago, columnist Brian Kenney wrote a piece for PW titled “Where Reference Fits in the Modern Library.” The column addressed his frustration with the gulf between reference work as he ...

The Reference Desk spotlights the newest books in the Ellensburg Public Library’s collections. Chinese-born author Yiyun Li, who now teaches creative writing at Princeton University, has crafted a ...

Reference librarian Mary Aylmer returns a book title to Zymere Dozier, 2, after performing a search for a patron at the Decatur Public Library reference desk.

“Can athlete’s foot catch on fire?” “Do you guys need any tutors for football?” “Do you have anything to eat?” These and other urgent academic library reference questions are answered in this final ...

“How do you undo nerve gas?” “How do you make rope out of human hair?” “Would you mind checking out this rash?” These are other burning reference questions are answered in this homage to the 7.2 ...