College and Research Libraries B y H U G H P R I T C H A R D Reference W o r k at Amherst College Library Mr. Pritchard is reference librarian, A fu- ller st College Library. TH E M A I N feature of reference work in the Amherst College L i b r a r y is the close and continuing collaboration between the reference librarian and students writ- ing papers and honors theses. T h i s in- volves a relationship between student and librarian which ends only when the student has found all the material he needs. I t begins when the student registers with the reference librarian as soon as he undertakes any research. T h e student describes his project and the librarian gets a clear idea of w h a t he is attempting. H e then asks what the student has done so f a r and in this w a y gains an insight into his prepara- tion to do research. T h e librarian can then begin at the student's level to show him the next steps. I t may be necessary to introduce him to the card catalog and the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, o r he m a y be ready to hear about the special bibliog- raphies in learned journals of the field in which he is working. T h e first step in the collaboration be- tween reference librarian and student has been taken, but this is only a beginning. D u r i n g the conference the librarian makes a record of the student's name and topic and explains how he w i l l w o r k with him in gathering material. T h e student is in- structed to report to the librarian whenever he sees his name posted on the reference call board, because this w i l l mean the li- brarian has something to communicate. F u r t h e r assistance takes two f o r m s : in- troducing the student to more and more specialized research tools and finding specific material f o r him either at his request or on the librarian's own initiative. It is not feasible f r o m any point of view to tell a student all at once all the sources he should consult. T h e student would be confused and discouraged and the librarian would be under a strain to present everything per- tinent. W h e n , however, the student and librarian w o r k together f o r a week or a month or more, the librarian as w e l l as the student lives with the topic. D u r i n g this time he is able to explore the resources of the library as thoroughly as the student's project demands and to watch f o r material in the ordinary round of his duties. W h i l e scanning book reviews, skimming new books, keeping an eye on incoming serials, even while answering a particular reference ques- tion ; the librarian discovers leads to a num- ber of topics f o r which he is on the alert. I n f o r m i n g a student of a new source of information can be done easily and some- times instructively. T h e librarian makes a note which he clips to the f r o n t of the student's record card. A t the same time he posts his name on the call board and lets the student consult him when it is con- venient. Experience has shown that it is better to ask the student to copy the note rather than give it to him. I t is good prac- tice then to clip the note to the back of the student's card. I n this w a y the librarian keeps a record of the assistance he has given a student and he can also show it to him 172 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES again if the student loses his copy. T h e librarian does not spoon-feed stu- dents. F o r example, if he finds a likely title in the card catalog under a subject heading not yet explored by the student, he will refer him to the subject heading rather than to the book itself. O r he w i l l simply recommend a certain bibliography even though he has already gone through it and found several pertinent titles. A t their next conference he may ask the student how productive this subject heading or that bibliography has proved to be. In almost every instance the librarian has to decide whether to present the student with a general lead in the direction of a reference, a specific title complete with the call number, or even a text itself. T h e library competence of the student and the nature of the reference determine what the librarian w i l l do. If he has encountered a pamphlet or a government document purely by chance, it is usually best to refer it to the student as specifically as possible at the same time pointing out where similar refer- ence might be found. A number of departments of the college, principally in the social sciences, have asked the reference librarian to address their honors students before they begin w o r k on their theses. H e r e the reference librarian has the opportunity to call attention to items generally useful in their subject field and also to invite the students to confer with him individually. Reports of the reference program have spread among stu- dents and faculty with the result that stu- dents consult the reference librarian on their own initiative and more and more faculty members are asking the reference librarian to address their students. T h e effects of this collaboration between student and librarian can be found in sev- eral areas of the library. M o r e United States government documents have been used and a f e w students have learned to ask for them by serial document volume number. Bibliographic aids of all kinds have been given greater use. Finally the number of students w h o received continu- ing reference assistance almost doubled be- tween the first and this second year of this program's operation. T h e library is an in- tegral part of instruction. American International College Library Building (Continued from page 148) regulate the windows in the main and lower level reading rooms and in the lower level stack area. Another thing that bothers is the type of cinder block which w e used. T h e y are very porous and w e discovered that sound carries through them. In many instances this is not important, but in some cases w e found it necessary to insulate and plaster some w a l l s which w e had not intended to do. "There are other quality cinder blocks available, but again, in order to economize we were forced to use a cheap grade. Looking at the library as objectively as possible f o r one w h o is using it every day, w e do feel that the good points outweigh enormously the things that irritate. W e like the good lighting, our adequate elevator, the feeling of space, the relation of one w o r k area to another, the pleasing color, the lack of waste space in corridors and stairwells, and the attractive furnish- ings and equipment. A s one student re- marked a short time ago, " I just love to come in here and sit even when I don't have to study. It's great to think it is ours." APRIL, 1953 1 173