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.