Reference Questions, 3/31/10

It's hard to believe this is the last day of March. This semester is flying by. Only 44 days til graduation. :)

1. Looking for her class that was meeting here in the library; had no idea where in the library and thought I would know
2. A history professor was looking for the latest issue of Reviews in American History. There was a book review of his new book in it. I printed it out for him.
3. Another student was looking for her class that was meeting in the library. Again they had no idea where and thought I would know. Does no one pay attention in class anymore?
4. Looking for a guide to playing the piano
5. Looking for books on wireless telecommunication
6. Looking for the play Fourteen by Alice Gerstenberg
7. Needed to use the ref print card
8. Found a purse left beside one of the computers and was turning it in
9. Needed help finding journal articles and with ILL
10. Someone wanting to buy a Frisbee from Mark
11. Looking for books about the Salem Witch Trials; wanted a book that was rated R; had to explain that books are not rated, he was surprised; then he wanted an audio book because he doesn't like to read
12. (Chat) Having trouble accessing journal articles
13. Reading Room printer was acting up
14. Wanted to become a Friend of the Library; sent him to administration
15. Looking for sources on Guatemala
16. Looking for a group study area
17. Looking for articles on refugees and Greensboro, NC
18. Looking for articles on off campus living

Another exciting shift in the books. :)

Reference Questions, 3/27/10

Shifts two days in a row. This is a first. I'm sure I'll see more action today than I did yesterday.

1. Wanted to know if it was ok to go upstairs and pull some microfiche
2. (Phone) Wanted to know what time we closed and when the reference desk closed
3. (Phone) Wanted to know if the guest computers had a spot for a USB drive
4. Looking for the water fountain
5. Question about printing at the microfilm machines
6. Looking for a book about John Galt, it's called Atlas Shrugged, he wants to check it out the next time he's in the library
7. (Chat) Question about ILL
8. Looking for books on the profession of social work
9. (Phone) Wanted to know if Blackboard is down at the library, and it is. Lovely. I do not remember getting an email about scheduled downtime this weekend. I guess it was unscheduled maintenance.
10. (Phone) Question about searching the library catalog
11. Looking for books on the CLEP (College Level Examination Program)
12. Bathroom location question
13. Question about how long is Blackboard going to be down
14. Question about accessing journals online
15. Help with logging into the student computers
16. Needed to use the guest print card
17. Needed help finding a book
18. The printer in the Reading Room is acting up, again.
19. Problem with the microfilm machine
20. (Chat) Looking for sources on the culture of Wales
21. Question about when we close

Now this is a little more like what I am used to.

Reference Questions, 3/26/10

This is my first Friday shift ever. I have heard that they are usually quiet. We'll see...

1. Been here for over an hour and have not gotten a single question
2. Two hours and no questions
3. Wanted to know if I had change for a $20
4. Needed a guest log in and wanted to know what time the library closed tonight, was open tomorrow and closed tomorrow.

Two questions?! That's it in 3 hours. And I thought it was slow during the summer.

Reference Questions, 3/24/10

At the reference desk once again. :) Only 16 more shifts left until graduation.

1. Looking for the Merck Index
2. (Chat) Had a question about accessing scholarly journal articles
3. Question about the location of Tower 3, and how to find a book up there
4. Printing question
5. Looking for novels in Spanish
6. Looking for a unoccupied computer
7. Printing question
8. Restroom location question
9. Looking for Steve
10. Needed guest log in
11. Looking for the encyclopedias and the book First Family by David Baldacci
12. Looking for something on reserve
13. Looking for the Reading Room
14. Looking for a book she could check out on human anatomy
15. Looking for a dissertation and what turned out to be an unpublished conference paper
16. Looking for who was responsible for the cases beside the ref desk, it's archives so I sent him up there
17. Printing question
18. (Phone) Address lady needed the corporate address for Applebee's and the president's name
19. (Phone) Address lady needed the corporate address to the Discovery Channel, and the name of the president of Discovery. I could not find it.
20. Question about reserves
21. (Chat) Question about the Information Commons screens
22. Printer was out of paper
23. Transfered a chat to Steve
24. Helped students who were doing their Library CSI worksheets. Not really sure if I was supposed to help them or not.
25. Printing question
26. Looking for an open computer
27. Looking for Lynda
28. Looking for the writing center
29. Looking books on wellness

Next up a Friday shift!

Reference Questions, 3/21/10

Sunday night on the reference desk. I hope it's a slow one. :)

1. (Chat) Looking for an article
2. Looking for books on multitasking
3. A guy told me that the pictures located directly across from me were not taken in Spain. They were labeled Spain and he just wanted me to know that they were not taken there. I let Jenny handle him. I was on a chat at the time anyway.
4. (Chat) Question about renewing books
5. (Chat) Question about accessing the OED
6. (Chat) Question about what a thesis statement is
7. (Chat) Looking for an article
8. (Chat) APA citation question
9. (Chat) Looking for an article
10. (Chat) Question about renewing books
11. Needed a guest log in
12. (Chat) APA citation question
13. Looking for a book on lethal injection
14. (Chat) APA citation question
15. MLA citation question
16. (Chat) Question about accessing a journal article

I do not believe I have ever gotten this many chats in a shift. It's raining so I guess people are staying in and using chat.

Reference Questions, 3/17/10

St. Patrick's Day at the ref desk. I have on my green and I'm ready to answer questions and accept any job proposals. :)

1. Looking for a dictionary
2. Looking for books on the CIA for a research paper
3. Looking for the reference section
4. (Phone) Needed help accessing an article in PsycInfo
5. Needed guest log in
6. Needed to use guest print card to print
7. Looking for sources on fast food franchises
8. Had a question about Amtrak from Greensboro to Raleigh
9. Looking for the book drop
10. Looking for the Foust Building
11. Needed to use guest print card to print
12. Looking for the book Voices from the Storm: The People of New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath by Lola Vollen and Chris Ying
13. Needed help accessing PsycInfo
14. Looking for sources for a research paper about gender similarities or differences in academic achievement
15. Looking for Sophocles Oedipus Rex
16. Nursing student looking for articles on art therapy for children, couldn't find anything in CINAHL so I suggested looking in PsycINFO
17. God bless the nursing students. They always have interesting searches. The one that I suggested PsycINFO to needs evidence based articles and PsycINFO does have an option for that on the search page. So I suggested using evidence based as a search term. I'm sure she'll be back up to the desk again shortly.
18. Someone looking for Lynda
19. Question about the ref computers
20. Looking for sources on acculturation
21. Needed research help on an education topic
22. Looking for a book in the closed stacks
23. Needed guest log in, but said they weren't doing research so I couldn't give them one
24. Looking for the book The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
25. Student from #21 had another question about education research
26. Looking for his class, they were meeting in the CITI lab, I believe he was an hour late

A normal shift which is always nice. Now off to finish up a presentation and eat some veg sushi, I hope. :)

Reference Questions, 3/3/10

The first shift of March, how lovely. Graduation approaches, just 72 days away now. I will be ordering my cap and gown today. It brings a tear to my eye.

1. A student was looking for articles on discrimination and Pepsi Co. She had found one through Google, but it wanted her to pay for it. I showed her some databases that she could use instead of Google.
2. Needed to get on the guest computers
3. Wanted to borrow some tape
4. Looking for a book on text and fonts
5. (Chat) A student wanted to know if we had discontinued access to Britanica Online. Unfortunately we have. I was not happy about this either.
6. A student wanted to know if she could check out CDs from the Music Library. (She thought only music students could check out from there.) She also needed to know where it was located.
7. The student from #4 was back. The book I sent her to find was not what she was looking for. So I helped her find another one. Hopefully this one works out better.
8. A student had a question about reserving collaboratories.
9. A student needed help searching PubMed for diabetes and carpal tunnel syndrome.
10. A student was looking for the book Captives as commodities: the transatlantic slave trade by Lisa A. Lindsay. He was very happy that the library had it and he said I was awesome. Always nice to hear.
11. A student was looking for a textbook. It was on reserve. I love how students think we have a room that houses every single textbook used on this campus.
12. Looking for the ILL office
13. Looking for the ILL office
14. A friend of the library had a question about checking out new books.
15. A student needed the library hours sheet.
16. (Chat) A student was having trouble with one of the computers in a collaboratory on the 6th floor. We sent ERIT up to help them.
17. Looking for the ILL office
18. Looking for Stephen Dew's office