Asking a reference question - quick tips

It is research paper time again for many students, which means it is time to find resources. Here are a few tips to smooth your reference transaction and help the librarian assisting you find the right answers:

• As far as you can, explain the situation.  We don't need all the personal details, indeed, we don't want them, but if we know you are looking for information about the history of cancer for a class report, we may find very different resources than if you need explanations of treatments for personal reasons. 
• If you are doing research for a school assignment, at any level, bring in the assignment. Most teachers and professors have guidelines for what sort of paper they expect, how many resources they want the student to use, and so forth. We will be better able to help you if we can see the actual question and assignment guidelines than if we get a general question like "I need everything about the history of war." (Yes, we do get questions like this from time to time.)
• Realize that not everything is available on-line. Yes, an awful lot of information, data, and scholarly research is now on-line, but there are also many books, journals, and archived files that are not. One of those resources might have the best information, even if it is not the most convenient. We try to provide on-line resources whenever possible, but sometimes, we can only find what you need in an off-line form.
• And finally, if you are calling or emailing us, make sure to give us complete and correct contact information, and let us know the best way to contact you, if we need clarification. If you do not check your email very often, but sent us an email request, tell us that you prefer a phone call to notify you that we have sent you a reply or resources. If you are never at your desk phone, or cannot answer your cell phone at work or school, let us know you prefer email. We work hard to answer every question quickly and accurately, and we want to make sure you get your resources.

If you have any reference questions to ask the Arkansas State Library, you can call us at (501) 682-2053, or send an email through our Ask a Librarian form, or visit us in person. We are located at 900 W. Capitol, Suite 100, in Little Rock.

Halloween Facts

I know, I know, Halloween is still over a week away, but with the newly arrived Fall weather, and the candy in the grocery store, it seems appropriate to talk about it today (but I might just return to it next week as well). Here are some facts about Halloween taken from the Census Bureau:

• 41 Million: The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2010 — children 5 to 14 — across the United States. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml>.
•  1.1 billion pounds: Pumpkin production by major pumpkin-producing states in 2010. Illinois produced an estimated 427 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. California, New York and Ohio were also major pumpkin-producing states, each with an estimate of more than 100 million pounds. (ed. note -That will be less this year, thanks to the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, which caused flooding in parts of New York and other New England states). Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf>
• 24.7 pounds:  Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2010. (ed. note - Really? That seems a bit low to me, remembering how much candy I ate as a child...) Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Industrial Reports, Confectionery: 2010, Table 1, <http://www.census.gov/manufacturing/cir/historical_data/ma311d/index.html>

If you have any Halloween-related reference questions, or regular reference questions for that matter, ask away. Use our Ask a Librarian form to send us a question. We generally reply within 1 to 2 business days. Or give us a call at (501) 682-2053, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

Patents and Trademarks at the Arkansas State Library

It has been quite a while since I mentioned one of the more important services available here at the Arkansas State Library: Patent and Trademark assistance. We are designated a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As a PTRC, the Arkansas State Library offers access to the following materials and services:

• Backfile Collections and Current Issues of Patents
• Official Gazette - Patents
• Official Gazette - Trademarks
• Reference Assistance and Referrals
• Patent Classification Research Instruction
• Supplemental Reference Materials
• Training Opportunities

While we do not file patent or trademark applications for you, and we cannot actually do any searches for you, we can show you where to go and the steps you will need to follow to file. We can also show you how to conduct a patent or trademark search (an essential step of filing for a patent or trademark), and provide additional resources to help you along your way. For any specific questions, you can call the library and ask to speak with a reference librarian (501-682-2053) or fill out an Ask a Librarian request.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women will be diagnosed in 2011. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. For more information about breast cancer, please visit the American Cancer Society, the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website, and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure website. Locally, the Little Rock Race for the Cure will be held on October 22nd, and many staff members from the Arkansas State Library will be participating.

At the library, we also have many resources to help you understand and deal with a cancer diagnosis. While we cannot offer any medical or legal advice, we are ready to assist you in finding books, articles, and websites that can help you or a loved one. If you would like to know more about our databases or books in our collection, you can call the reference desk at (501) 682-2053 or send us a reference question using our Ask a Librarian form.