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 ...

Just how long are a giraffe's vocal cords? That was one of the most interesting questions the reference staff of the Kalamazoo Public Library received last year, said Judy Burtless-Buttery, adult ...

In San Francisco, a woman logs on to a Web site from her home computer and types a question: Where can I find the president’s 2006 budget request for NASA? A librarian, who is also online, directs the ...

“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 ...