5/3/2006
Memorial Library User Responses
Staff working in public service areas of Memorial Library recorded their interactions with patrons from April 10–April 23 to gather statistics. These statistics are used to improve training, supply data for annual reports and improve scheduling, among other things. During this two-week period, staff members answered more than 4,600 questions and were busiest over the noon hours. The following are questions that were asked at the various public service locations.
Circulation Desk
Q: Is it warm outside?
(No answer given.)
Q: I locked myself out of my study carrel — can someone let me back in?
A: Paged Dennis who let him back in.
Q: Can I check out these books during the tornado warning?
A: No, I'm sorry you can't — but the drill will be over in a few minutes and then you can.
Q: Can I have a receipt with a purple border?
A: I'll see what I can do. (He got pink.)
Reference Desk
Q : Looking for information on a historical event affected
by the weather.
A: "Weather" is a subject term in Historical Abstracts and America
History and Life.
Q: I need the phone number of a company that makes an
emergency pendant like Life Alert. It starts with an A. It's advertised
by Lee Remick.
A: Patron changed her info to say it was actually advertised by Lee
Meriwether. After some digging around online, Beth and I discovered
that it is Alert USA. Beth called patron back with information.
Q: Do you have a video about the Dust Bowl? Agriculture in the 1930s?
About the plow? About the history of agriculture?
A: Found a video series Power and the Land [video recording]: four
documentary portraits of the great depression available at CIMC.
Q: Did Roy Rogers and Dale Evans have any great-grandchildren?
A: According to an online obituary for Dale Evans, Roy and Dale only had
one daughter together and she died before her 2nd birthday. They both
had children from previous marriages, though, so they had 32
great-grandchildren.
Information Desk
Q: Patron seeking books on northern Europe
(Denmark) and the history of industrialization.
A: Checked multiple databases: PAIS, 19th Century Masterfile; European
History subject guide; subject History and History-Europe db, etc.
Patron specifically wanted 1800-1860 period article or books. Consulted
with reference staff suggested variations of MadCat searches keyword vs.
subject . . . ; continued searching and browsing with patron. Identified two books and one article specific to patron's request. Encouraged patron to
broaden his focus, his context and then supplement his research with
content more specific to his narrowed focus. Encouraged him to browse
bibliography of key article and to browse surrounding books near the two
key resources identified. Discussed with him techniques for continued
KW searching using the E-Resource Gateway.
Q: The item I'm looking for says to see the gov docs
librarian.
A: Beth not around. David Null used his psychic powers to find the
item. Amazing to watch.
Q: Does this place have air conditioning?
A: Yes, eventually.
Q: I write and publish astrological biographies. Currently,
I'm working on the Russian revolution (but do not read Russian)
A: If you only need the birth and death dates, you can look them up at
the Reference Desk in Memorial Library, room 262. On the back (south wall),
bottom shelves is the English translation, GREAT SOVIET ENCYCLOPEDIA,
of the Bolshaia entsiklopediia. Alexander III begins (v. 1, 236b) Born
Feb. 26 (Mar. 10), 1845; died Oct, 20 (Nov. 1), 1894. Call no. Ref.
AE5 B58. The Russian vols. were translated vol. by volume. So Alexander
is of course in the A volume but some entries seem out of order. There
is a general alphabetical index at the end.
Q: I need an article from a journal that UW cancelled a few years back.
How can I get that with out paying 30 dollars for the article?
A: Why, by letting Library Express pay $30 for you. Yes, wonderful Library Express.
E-mail Question to AskMemorial
Q: Recent selling price for Ansel Adams book?
A: Found article on the Internet; also referred to list of rare book dealers
from selector's page.