As described in the gallery box on the Home page to this guide, Research and Instruction Librarians specialize in different subjects and liaison to colleges and academic departments. Refer questions which go beyond locating information sources to the appropriate subject specialist when possible, or to any librarian or full-time library employee if a specialist is not available. Evaluating which sources might be best are up to the library patron.
How do I know where to go in the library to find sources?
The Orientation guide, library tour, or a Savvy Workshop might be able to help the patron learn how to use the library. These guides (and others) are found by doing a "research guides" search on the library home page. Or browse through the Subject guides, Course guides, or How Do I guides.
Where are the T call numbers?
T call numbers are on the lower level. Floor guides can be found on the "See a Map" link with each item in the Library Catalog. The Virtual Gour guide can help, which also has a PDF for printing.
Does the library have the book called Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking?
Use the Library Catalog and run a title search. If we do not have the book, try WorldCat. Use the ILL link in WorldCat to make an ILL request. If this title is not found in WorldCat, there is something incorrect about the title. Ask a librarian for additional help.
Does the library have anything related to training library student workers?
Run a keyword search in the Library Catalog or SmartSearch. Be sure to force the database to see "student workers" as a phrase by using quotation marks around "student workers."
The library does not seem to have the book Why People Stay: Helping Your Employees Feel Seen, Safe and Valued. How do I get it?
Interlibrary loan is a service that will get books, articles, and other types of library materials from other libraries. Many library databases have an ILL link, which will input most of the required information about the source. The form can also be filled in from the ILL page.
I need XXX article for my class. How do I see if the library has it?
Run a search in SmartSearch or Google Scholar. Type the title within quotation marks to keep it as a phrase in a keyword search.
When will a librarian be on duty?
See the library hours page, which includes Reference Desk hours. Do not tell patrons when a specific librarian will be on duty. If someone wants to talk to a specific employee who is not immediately available, give them contact information so they can make an appointment with that person.
I have a complicated question about this Anthropology research assignment. Who can help?
Refer to a subject specialist. Use the Ask a Librarian page or the library staff directory to locate employees by subject. Librarian contact information is also found on subject-specific library guides.
