This is my last evening on the reference desk for the semester. I will return to work some weekends this summer. Today is also the last day of classes. There are not many people in the reference department right now, could be a slow night.
1. A student was working on a annotated bibliography on music and memory/the mind. He needed 10 additional sources. I was able to find some really good books and articles for him.
2. A patron needed to know where the restroom was.
3. We have Yogurt Cream Hershey Kisses sitting on the desk and a student walked by and asked if she could have one. :)
4. A student wanted to know if getting an "I" in a class would effect his GPA.
5. A student needed a paper clip.
6. (Chat) A student wanted to know if they could still look at a reserve book if they didn't have their ID. I told them they needed to call the circulation desk, because I wasn't sure what their policy was on that.
7. A student wanted to leave his books on the reference desk while he went to smoke.
8. A student needed criticisms on the book The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin by Vladimir Voinovich.
9. A patron needed a guest log in for a computer.
10. A student wanted a Hershey Kiss. :)
11. A student needed books on dream symbolism.
12. (Chat) A student wanted to know when the library was offering free coffee. They do during exam week every semester. This semester it is on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday May 7 starting at 9:30 p.m. The student then wanted to have an emoticon war, and accused me of flirting. Oh, well Irma can't even be friendly with having accusations thrown at her.
13. A student had a suggestion. He suggested that we put Purell dispensers in the reference department to cut down on germs from the computers. Actual, not a bad idea.
14. A student needed to borrow one of the golf pencils.
15. A student needed books on dream symbolism for a paper he was writing.
16. A student needed books and articles on drugs and African-American women.
17. The student from #11 was looking for the book The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.
18. (Chat) A student had a question about how to access an e-book.
There were lots of questions tonight, but most of them were short and very easy. I only got 3 questions the first hour I was here. It began to pick up some after that.
I shall return this summer. :)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Reference Questions 5/2/09
The first posting of May and my last Saturday shift of the Spring semester. Holly says it has been slow, so I think I'll work on some book slips while I am on the desk. You're jealous, I know. My husband tagged along with me so that he could go to the Rec Center and workout. I'm sure he'll be in here later to bother me.
1. My husband wanted to know the name of ACRL's journal. It is called College and Research Libraries.
2. My husband wanted to know how to get to the basement.
3. (Chat) A student was looking for articles on women's liberation
4. A student wanted to know where the magazines were.
5. (Phone) Someone wanted to know the release date for the song Poison Ivy by The Coasters. He mumbled terribly so it took me a good 3 minutes or so to just discern that information from him. He even sang the chorus of the song a few times. I found the date that it first appeared on the Billboard charts, but that was not good enough. He needed the day it was released. He then wanted my name, I of course gave him a false one, and he said he would be calling back. Great.
6. A student wanted to know what time the library closed.
7. A student needed a music dictionary or encyclopedia.
8. A student was having trouble locating an article in the journal Discourse & Society.
9. (Phone) The patron from #5 called back and wanted to know if I had found anything else out about the release date of the song. I told him I had not. He continued to mumble on about the song (at least he didn't sing it again) and then wished me a nice evening and said goodbye.
10. A student (the one from #7) wanted to know what time the library closed. Then he wanted to confirm that he could make copies over in front of the circulation desk.
11. #7 was back again and wanted to know when the library closed on Sunday.
12. A student wanted to know if he could use the stapler on the reference desk.
13. A student wanted to confirm that the library closed at 10:00 p.m.
14. (Chat) A student wanted find information on the use of the song "Amazing Grace" during the Civil Rights Movement. I was on this chat for nearly 30 minutes and could not find an answer. All I could find were articles on its connection to abolition. I referred her to the subject specialist for Music.
15. (Phone) A student wanted to know what time the library closed.
16. A student was looking for articles from the New York Times from 1998.
17. The student from #16, was having problems with her Novell password.
I got zero questions the for the first hour I was on the desk. What could have been a slow afternoon turned into a fairly steady afternoon. Monday is my last night on the reference desk for the Spring 2009 semester. :) I will be working the desk some weekends, so I won't be too rusty come Fall semester.
1. My husband wanted to know the name of ACRL's journal. It is called College and Research Libraries.
2. My husband wanted to know how to get to the basement.
3. (Chat) A student was looking for articles on women's liberation
4. A student wanted to know where the magazines were.
5. (Phone) Someone wanted to know the release date for the song Poison Ivy by The Coasters. He mumbled terribly so it took me a good 3 minutes or so to just discern that information from him. He even sang the chorus of the song a few times. I found the date that it first appeared on the Billboard charts, but that was not good enough. He needed the day it was released. He then wanted my name, I of course gave him a false one, and he said he would be calling back. Great.
6. A student wanted to know what time the library closed.
7. A student needed a music dictionary or encyclopedia.
8. A student was having trouble locating an article in the journal Discourse & Society.
9. (Phone) The patron from #5 called back and wanted to know if I had found anything else out about the release date of the song. I told him I had not. He continued to mumble on about the song (at least he didn't sing it again) and then wished me a nice evening and said goodbye.
10. A student (the one from #7) wanted to know what time the library closed. Then he wanted to confirm that he could make copies over in front of the circulation desk.
11. #7 was back again and wanted to know when the library closed on Sunday.
12. A student wanted to know if he could use the stapler on the reference desk.
13. A student wanted to confirm that the library closed at 10:00 p.m.
14. (Chat) A student wanted find information on the use of the song "Amazing Grace" during the Civil Rights Movement. I was on this chat for nearly 30 minutes and could not find an answer. All I could find were articles on its connection to abolition. I referred her to the subject specialist for Music.
15. (Phone) A student wanted to know what time the library closed.
16. A student was looking for articles from the New York Times from 1998.
17. The student from #16, was having problems with her Novell password.
I got zero questions the for the first hour I was on the desk. What could have been a slow afternoon turned into a fairly steady afternoon. Monday is my last night on the reference desk for the Spring 2009 semester. :) I will be working the desk some weekends, so I won't be too rusty come Fall semester.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Reference Questions 4/30/09
This is my last Thursday night of the semester on the reference desk. :) The last day of classes is this coming Monday. We're coming down to the wire. Well, I'm not. I had my last class yesterday. Plus I won Intern Jeopardy this afternoon! :)
1. (chat) A student needed to know the age at which a fetus is effected by drug use. I took this chat over from Hannah, and started looking for articles when really that is not what this student was looking for. So I switched gears and started looking elsewhere. However, before I could find the answer they closed the chat. They then came back a few minutes later and said they had found it on Wikipedia. It's 2 weeks. I love Wikipedia. It is not the devil. ;)
2. A student wanted to know where the Reading Room on the first floor was.
3. Another student got their First Card stuck in the card reader at the printer.
4. A student was looking for the book About Alice by Calvin Trillin. We only had it as an audio book, but the Greensboro Public Library has it in book form so I told him to go there and get it.
5. A student was looking for a general book about stroke.
A very slow night. I guess most people have their end of the semester projects finished. Hopefully Saturday will also be this slow.
1. (chat) A student needed to know the age at which a fetus is effected by drug use. I took this chat over from Hannah, and started looking for articles when really that is not what this student was looking for. So I switched gears and started looking elsewhere. However, before I could find the answer they closed the chat. They then came back a few minutes later and said they had found it on Wikipedia. It's 2 weeks. I love Wikipedia. It is not the devil. ;)
2. A student wanted to know where the Reading Room on the first floor was.
3. Another student got their First Card stuck in the card reader at the printer.
4. A student was looking for the book About Alice by Calvin Trillin. We only had it as an audio book, but the Greensboro Public Library has it in book form so I told him to go there and get it.
5. A student was looking for a general book about stroke.
A very slow night. I guess most people have their end of the semester projects finished. Hopefully Saturday will also be this slow.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Reference Questions 4/27/09
The crunch continues.
1. A student was looking for lost and found.
2. A student needed help with citing a website in APA format.
3. A student needed a government document from the third floor. It took me a good 10 minutes to find it. It was in microform, so she decided she didn't want it.
4. A PhD student came in and wanted someone to help him search for articles. Actually he wanted an "assistant" to searched for articles while he was also searching for articles. Yes it involved the business school and no I was not surprised. Gerald came over and suggested he contact the subject specialist librarians.
5. A patron wanted to see the yearbook display adjacent to the reference desk.
6. A fellow library student had a question about the Dewey Decimal Classification system. I answered it to the best of my ability. Dewey is not my strong suite and I am worried about that final tomorrow! :
7. A student wanted to know where room 361 was. It is somewhere on the third floor.
8. A patron needed a guest log in.
9. A patron needed a guest log in.
10. A student had a question about printing.
11. A student needed to know the time.
12. A student was looking for a small, colorful map of NC.
13. A student wanted to check out headphones. That is done at the circulation desk.
14. (Chat) A student needed a book review for a book published in 1958. I had to pull out the old, musty Book Review Digest from 1958 in order to find a review for it.
15. (Chat) A student needed the number to the Speaking Center.
16. (Chat) A student needed to know if she could check books out and keep them over the Summer.
17. (Chat) A student wanted to know where the reference books were kept.
Numbers 14 - 17 all came at the exact same time. Talk about multitasking! This job is not for the faint of heart.
18. A student wanted to know if she could get on one of the computers in the reference department.
19. (Phone) Person on the other end wanted to speak with Marc.
A very busy night. It is to be expected this time of the semester. It will soon be over. :
1. A student was looking for lost and found.
2. A student needed help with citing a website in APA format.
3. A student needed a government document from the third floor. It took me a good 10 minutes to find it. It was in microform, so she decided she didn't want it.
4. A PhD student came in and wanted someone to help him search for articles. Actually he wanted an "assistant" to searched for articles while he was also searching for articles. Yes it involved the business school and no I was not surprised. Gerald came over and suggested he contact the subject specialist librarians.
5. A patron wanted to see the yearbook display adjacent to the reference desk.
6. A fellow library student had a question about the Dewey Decimal Classification system. I answered it to the best of my ability. Dewey is not my strong suite and I am worried about that final tomorrow! :
7. A student wanted to know where room 361 was. It is somewhere on the third floor.
8. A patron needed a guest log in.
9. A patron needed a guest log in.
10. A student had a question about printing.
11. A student needed to know the time.
12. A student was looking for a small, colorful map of NC.
13. A student wanted to check out headphones. That is done at the circulation desk.
14. (Chat) A student needed a book review for a book published in 1958. I had to pull out the old, musty Book Review Digest from 1958 in order to find a review for it.
15. (Chat) A student needed the number to the Speaking Center.
16. (Chat) A student needed to know if she could check books out and keep them over the Summer.
17. (Chat) A student wanted to know where the reference books were kept.
Numbers 14 - 17 all came at the exact same time. Talk about multitasking! This job is not for the faint of heart.
18. A student wanted to know if she could get on one of the computers in the reference department.
19. (Phone) Person on the other end wanted to speak with Marc.
A very busy night. It is to be expected this time of the semester. It will soon be over. :
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Reference Questions 4/26/09
It is crunch time. Next week is the last full week of classes. Hopefully the reference desk won't be too busy tonight on my last late night shift of the semester. I'm sure that is too much to ask for. I am here till midnight after all.
1. A student was looking for the Oxford Companion to African American authors.
2.A student wanted to know if Office 2007 was on the 15 minute express computers. It is not.
3. A student wanted to know how late the library is open. It is open all night, but the reference department closes at 11:45. p.m.
4. A GTCC student asked me if she could work in the reference department. I guess she thought someone was going to kick her out if she came in here.
5. (Chat) A student wanted to know if I knew how to edit an Adobe file. I asked what they meant. They just wanted to be able to fill out a form on Adobe. I told them that the form should automatically allow them to do it if it was that type of form. Then they wanted to know if I knew of any open source software that would let them do that. I'm a librarian not a programmer!
6. A student needed a pen.
7. A student had a question about in text citation for APA style for an electronic dictionary. I could not find it in the APA Style Manual.
8. A student had a question about the English Renaissance Theatre. She wanted to know if the Queen had to pay when she went to the theatre. I found a book that discussed Shakespeare's playhouses. I hope that has the answer she' s looking for.
9. (Chat) Another APA citation question. This one was about how to cite a journal with no author.
10. A student was looking for journal articles on the history of community based art education programs. We found a few things but nothing she was satisfied with. (those education students...) I had to refer her to Mary.
11. A student wanted to know if the Towers were open all night tonight. Yes they are.
12. (Chat) A student had a question about quoting a dissertation that they had previously written. Quoting yourself...hmm...interesting and maybe a little arrogant.
13. (Chat) A student needed to find how many penguin breeds there are. For some reason we no longer have Encyclopedia Britannica online, so I had to use the Oxford Reference database.
14. While I was in the middle of that chat someone from the circulation desk sent a student over to me after they told her that a book by Toni Morrison would be in my section. So I had to stop the chat I was in and look up her book and then direct her where she needed to be.
15. They made the announcement that the front half of the library would be closing at midnight and a student needed to know where she could go to stay. I told her to go to the Towers. Of course she didn't know what I was talking about.
Not as busy as it could have been. I'm sure tomorrow will be horrible. :(
1. A student was looking for the Oxford Companion to African American authors.
2.A student wanted to know if Office 2007 was on the 15 minute express computers. It is not.
3. A student wanted to know how late the library is open. It is open all night, but the reference department closes at 11:45. p.m.
4. A GTCC student asked me if she could work in the reference department. I guess she thought someone was going to kick her out if she came in here.
5. (Chat) A student wanted to know if I knew how to edit an Adobe file. I asked what they meant. They just wanted to be able to fill out a form on Adobe. I told them that the form should automatically allow them to do it if it was that type of form. Then they wanted to know if I knew of any open source software that would let them do that. I'm a librarian not a programmer!
6. A student needed a pen.
7. A student had a question about in text citation for APA style for an electronic dictionary. I could not find it in the APA Style Manual.
8. A student had a question about the English Renaissance Theatre. She wanted to know if the Queen had to pay when she went to the theatre. I found a book that discussed Shakespeare's playhouses. I hope that has the answer she' s looking for.
9. (Chat) Another APA citation question. This one was about how to cite a journal with no author.
10. A student was looking for journal articles on the history of community based art education programs. We found a few things but nothing she was satisfied with. (those education students...) I had to refer her to Mary.
11. A student wanted to know if the Towers were open all night tonight. Yes they are.
12. (Chat) A student had a question about quoting a dissertation that they had previously written. Quoting yourself...hmm...interesting and maybe a little arrogant.
13. (Chat) A student needed to find how many penguin breeds there are. For some reason we no longer have Encyclopedia Britannica online, so I had to use the Oxford Reference database.
14. While I was in the middle of that chat someone from the circulation desk sent a student over to me after they told her that a book by Toni Morrison would be in my section. So I had to stop the chat I was in and look up her book and then direct her where she needed to be.
15. They made the announcement that the front half of the library would be closing at midnight and a student needed to know where she could go to stay. I told her to go to the Towers. Of course she didn't know what I was talking about.
Not as busy as it could have been. I'm sure tomorrow will be horrible. :(
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Reference Questions 4/23/09
We're down to the wire now. Next week is the last week of classes. Will in reflect in tonight's reference questions? Find out next on this episode of Irma Knows Best. :)
1. A high school student needed help finding sources for a research paper for a Western Civics class she is taking at GTCC. Her topic was Livia (who was married to the Emperor Augustus) the Roman empress. She had never written research paper before and I worked with her for 40 minutes or so. She needed books, reference sources, journal articles, etc.
2. A student was looking for sources on the migration of the Hmong people in Southeast Asia. She also needed information about their music and rituals. Most of the books on the Hmong people were checked out. Must be a popular topic.
3. (Chat) A student asked how to look for books. They then said it was a joke. Why they thought that was funny I have no idea.
4. The Western Civics student returned with more questions about journal articles.
5. (Phone) A student had a question about a collaboratory she had reserved. She wanted to know if it had a DVD player. It didn't but it had a computer.
6. (Chat) A student was having trouble opening a MS Works file. She then came up to the reference desk and I went over there and the file magically opened. While I was over there I helped another student with an Excel question. This one counts for at least 3 questions. :)
7. A student needed a book on obesity for a Power Point presentation.
8. The GTCC student returned looking for primary sources. We found something Plutarch had written that she could use.
9. A fellow library student had a question about the Library of Congress Classification vs. the Dewey Decimal Classification. :) That I can help with.
10. (Chat) Student was looking for books on the Wilmington Ten. We only had 1 and it was checked out. I was only able to find 1 article about the subject that we had access to. There were only 2 others.
11. (Chat) Student had a question about genealogies. This chat popped up the same time the other did. I wasn't able to help the one with the genealogy. I guess he left before I could get back with him. The multi-chat window screwed up and I believe it cut him off.
12. A graduate student was looking for some books we did not have in the library. I introduced him to the wonderful service that is ILL.
13. A patron needed a guest log in.
14. A student wanted to know if he could check out journals. Well, most of them are available online. Confused much?
15. A student wanted to know how to reserve collaboratories.
It's not reflected in the numbers, but we were slammed. I was with some of these people for at least 20 minutes or more. The end of the semester crunch is upon us. However, it's sad, no one asked a Shakespeare question today on his day of birth. :( There's a good possibility that I could have answered it too.
1. A high school student needed help finding sources for a research paper for a Western Civics class she is taking at GTCC. Her topic was Livia (who was married to the Emperor Augustus) the Roman empress. She had never written research paper before and I worked with her for 40 minutes or so. She needed books, reference sources, journal articles, etc.
2. A student was looking for sources on the migration of the Hmong people in Southeast Asia. She also needed information about their music and rituals. Most of the books on the Hmong people were checked out. Must be a popular topic.
3. (Chat) A student asked how to look for books. They then said it was a joke. Why they thought that was funny I have no idea.
4. The Western Civics student returned with more questions about journal articles.
5. (Phone) A student had a question about a collaboratory she had reserved. She wanted to know if it had a DVD player. It didn't but it had a computer.
6. (Chat) A student was having trouble opening a MS Works file. She then came up to the reference desk and I went over there and the file magically opened. While I was over there I helped another student with an Excel question. This one counts for at least 3 questions. :)
7. A student needed a book on obesity for a Power Point presentation.
8. The GTCC student returned looking for primary sources. We found something Plutarch had written that she could use.
9. A fellow library student had a question about the Library of Congress Classification vs. the Dewey Decimal Classification. :) That I can help with.
10. (Chat) Student was looking for books on the Wilmington Ten. We only had 1 and it was checked out. I was only able to find 1 article about the subject that we had access to. There were only 2 others.
11. (Chat) Student had a question about genealogies. This chat popped up the same time the other did. I wasn't able to help the one with the genealogy. I guess he left before I could get back with him. The multi-chat window screwed up and I believe it cut him off.
12. A graduate student was looking for some books we did not have in the library. I introduced him to the wonderful service that is ILL.
13. A patron needed a guest log in.
14. A student wanted to know if he could check out journals. Well, most of them are available online. Confused much?
15. A student wanted to know how to reserve collaboratories.
It's not reflected in the numbers, but we were slammed. I was with some of these people for at least 20 minutes or more. The end of the semester crunch is upon us. However, it's sad, no one asked a Shakespeare question today on his day of birth. :( There's a good possibility that I could have answered it too.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Reference Questions 4/20/09
Here are the reference questions for Monday, April 20, 2009.
1. A student had found a flash drive someone had left behind.
2. A student needed help with how to find some scholarly journal articles on crack and African-Americans. She had never used the databases before and needed help with where to go and how to search them.
3. A student needed 2 sheets of plain paper.
4. (Chat) A student needed to know where to find some literary criticism for "The way to the rainy mountain."
5. A student was looking for Gerald.
6. A student was looking for the lost and found.
7. A student needed help finding a book in the reference room.
8. (Chat) Student wanted the number to the circulation desk.
9. (Phone) A student needed help finding an unpublished dissertation.
10. A student needed a government document. The document was concerning economic development on Indian Reservations.
11. A student was looking for an article in the journal Cancer.
12. A patron needed a guest log-in.
13. A student paid for 35 copies they had gotten off of a microfilm machine. How nice of them. :)
14. A student needed help with a microfilm machine.
15. A patron needed a guest log-in.
16. A student wanted to know if you could drink water in the reference room.
All in all a steady night.
1. A student had found a flash drive someone had left behind.
2. A student needed help with how to find some scholarly journal articles on crack and African-Americans. She had never used the databases before and needed help with where to go and how to search them.
3. A student needed 2 sheets of plain paper.
4. (Chat) A student needed to know where to find some literary criticism for "The way to the rainy mountain."
5. A student was looking for Gerald.
6. A student was looking for the lost and found.
7. A student needed help finding a book in the reference room.
8. (Chat) Student wanted the number to the circulation desk.
9. (Phone) A student needed help finding an unpublished dissertation.
10. A student needed a government document. The document was concerning economic development on Indian Reservations.
11. A student was looking for an article in the journal Cancer.
12. A patron needed a guest log-in.
13. A student paid for 35 copies they had gotten off of a microfilm machine. How nice of them. :)
14. A student needed help with a microfilm machine.
15. A patron needed a guest log-in.
16. A student wanted to know if you could drink water in the reference room.
All in all a steady night.
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