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Reference Desk – Location and Hours
The Reference Desk is located on the left as you enter the main floor of Hilton C. Buley Library, between the research workstations and the Reference stacks. The desk is staffed by a reference librarian most hours the library is open.
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Reference
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By Phone - Please call (203) 392-5732 or (203) 392-5733 any time the Reference Desk is open for service. The librarian on duty will answer your call except when he/she is helping a patron. When no one is available to answer the phone, please leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
By Electronic Mail - This is another way to reach us. Send a message to eref@southernct.edu and we will respond as soon as possible. Email is good for quick, brief, factual responses. If your question is time-consuming, it is best to make an individual appointment with a librarian.
By Appointment - Reference librarians are available to provide uninterrupted one-on-one assistance. The email addresses and phone numbers of reference librarians are provided in the Who’s Who section below. You can link to the librarian of your choice to schedule an appointment. You may also call the reference desk (392-5732) or contact eref@southernct.edu describing your needs and we will find the right person to help you.
Who’s Who in the Reference Department
| Librarian | Room | Phone | |
| Winnie Shyam, Head, Reference Department | BU215 | 392-5762 | shyamw1@southernct.edu |
| Lisa Bier, Social Science Librarian | BU108 | 392-5131 | bierl1@southernct.edu |
| June Cheng, Education Librarian |
BU214 |
392-5738 | chengx1@sothernct.edu |
| Susan Clerc, Electronic Resources Coordinator | BU026 | 392-5735 | clercs1@southernct.edu |
| Rebecca Hedreen, Distance Education/Science Librarian | BU214 | 392 -5753 | hedreenr1@southernct.edu |
| Tim Klassen Systems/Health Science Librarian | BU214 | 392-5734 | klassent1@southernct.edu |
| Susan Miller, Instruction Coordinator | BU025 | 392-8850 | millers5@southernct.edu |
| Tina Re, Arts Librarian | BU111 | 392-5597 | ret1@southernct.edu |
| Alba Reynaga, Social Science Librarian | BU108 | 392-5134 | reynagaa1@southernct.edu |
| Diane Tomasko, Business Librarian | BU111 | 392-5749 | tomaskod1@southernct.edu |
The mission of Hilton C. Buley Library’s Reference Department is to provide quality reference service to the University community in a professional and timely manner, to develop and maintain a collection of print and electronic resources that support the learning, teaching and research needs of the university, and to instruct individuals, groups, and classes on the retrieval and effective use of information sources.
In order to provide quality reference service to the University community, the Reference Desk is staffed by a reference librarian most (not all) hours the library is open. Reference librarians use the most effective innovative and traditional techniques in providing information, and instruct patrons in the value and use of the library's collections. The department recognizes that patron information needs and demands require that Reference staff members possess substantial capabilities and competencies and will strive to serve patrons with knowledge, alertness, accuracy, and speed.
The basic objective of the department is to provide direct support of the University curriculum through answering the research questions of patrons and by providing current, easily-accessible materials to answer those queries. In meeting the patron needs, the Reference Department follows standards presented in "Information Services for Information Consumers: Guidelines for Providers", prepared by the American Library Association in June, 1990. The department regularly reviews its guidelines for both the subject scope of the Reference Collection and the types of materials included in it. Also, it aims to set procedures for acquiring new materials and for weeding the collection to ensure the development and maintenance of a complete, current, and convenient Reference Collection.
The Reference Department strives to maintain a quality reference collection consisting of books and electronic products. Reference librarians select materials in their respective subject areas. It is the collective responsibility of the Subject selectors to maintain an authoritative, current, and comprehensive reference collection that serves the university community effectively and adequately. The basic subject areas that are collected are those that support the instructional and research activities of the university community.
Print Reference Collection - Reference books are located on the first floor. Reference books have "Ref" before the call number and are arranged according to the Library of Congress call number.
Materials in this collection are limited to almanacs, dictionaries, (English language, foreign language and subject dictionaries), general encyclopedias, specific subject encyclopedias, handbooks, guidebooks, bibliographies (standard bibliographies, general bibliographies and specialized subject bibliographies), basic texts with high reference value, statistical/table compilations, biographical sources, manuals, yearbooks, atlases, loose-leaf services, indexes and guides to research.
The newspaper and periodical indexes and abstracts are arranged in alphabetical order by title in the index/abstract section following the Reference collection.
The Reference Collection is a non-circulating collection.
Ready Reference Collection - The ready reference collection is located at the Reference Desk. Materials in this collection include those reference sources that are used frequently to answer reference/information questions. Most of these materials are basic reference books such as almanacs, desk reference sources, dictionaries, directories, statistical sources, style guides, resume/job sources, thesaurus, etc. This section also has some frequently consulted books pertaining to information on Connecticut in the areas of Budget, Business, Census, Crime, Economy, Education, Geography, Government, Health, Social Services and Statistics. Connecticut telephone books and the Library of Congress Subject Heading volumes are also part of this collection.
Patrons are requested to return these materials to the Reference Desk after use.Connecticut Room Collection - The Connecticut Room houses books dealing with the State of Connecticut and the history of Southern Connecticut State University. Designed originally as a collection of town and state histories, the collection now encompasses many disciplines. The purpose of the Connecticut collection is to provide reference service in support of the curriculum and scholarly research by acquiring and maintaining pertinent material relating to the history, politics, census, geography, geology, and culture of Connecticut.
A special collection of books written by faculty at SCSU are also housed in this room.
Patrons are not allowed access to the Connecticut Room which is kept locked at all times. However, exceptions are made depending on the circumstance. If a patron wishes to browse a book from the collection, a librarian on duty at the Reference desk retrieves the book for the patron with the understanding that the book is duly returned to the Reference desk after use. The patron will be required to fill out a Connecticut Room Book Request Form and should provide an ID. In the event that the Reference desk is busy or short staffed when a patron requests a book from the Connecticut Room, the patron will be required to pick up the book later, usually within 24 hours of the request.
Materials for the Connecticut Room collection are acquired by donation or by purchase. Non requested books, pamphlets, and memorabilia are presented as gifts, and free materials are sent from the state or town agencies, organizations, or individuals. New titles, reprints, and missing titles are acquired as needed.
Map Collection - The goal for the SCSU Map Collection is to acquire, house, organize, and maintain maps and related materials needed to support the teaching and research programs of the University. All maps are kept in map cabinets against the far back wall of the Reference book stacks. US topographic maps, US Geological Survey Maps, all state series and park series maps as well as maps from the US Defense Mapping Agency belong in this collection. Access to specific maps is provided via continually updated index grid sheets. Other maps which can be acquired free of charge are also in this collection.
A representative collection of general and specialized atlases are available. The latest editions of most major atlases are purchased. Gazetteers, other atlases and globes are in the Reference collection. Atlas display tables are located on the main floor near the New Books display area.
Portrait File - A small collection of portraits (8 1/2" x 11") is filed in the cabinets right next to the Pamphlet File. These portraits are arranged in alphabetical order by the person's last name.
Electronic Reference Collection - Electronic resources include on-line databases, e-books, and Internet sites.
The list of databases is subject to change as products are added or deleted. Any member of the Southern community may recommend the acquisition of new electronic products. All requests, however, will be evaluated by the reference librarians before purchase.
Patrons are requested to restrict their searches to 30 minutes if others are waiting.
On-line searching is available to non-affiliated users but at busy times, it may be necessary to give priority to affiliated users.
Guides on searching specific databases can be found on the library home page under “Research Guides". Print copies of some guides are available on the "Info to Go" rack near the Reference Desk. User manuals are located at the Reference desk.
The Reference Department strives to maintain a quality collection of print reference resources. Reference librarians are responsible for maintaining an authoritative, current, and comprehensive reference collection that serves the University community effectively and adequately. The basic subject areas that are collected are those that serve to support the instructional programs and research needs of the University community. The collection is available to non-affiliated users. The materials vary in scope and depth of coverage, in point of view and complexity to meet the needs of the largest number of library users.
A reference book is one that by virtue of its format, arrangement, or content is consulted for bibliographic or factual information rather than read in its entirety. Almost all of the books in Buley Library's reference section fit this definition. However, some books that do not meet this definition are shelved in this collection because of their usefulness in answering reference questions. The level of collection varies from subject to subject depending on the courses being taught at the institution and the budget allocated for the department. Factors influencing the selection of reference materials are the currency of the material, the usefulness of the material in relation to existing materials in the collection, the targeted audience, the reputation of author or publisher and book reviews.
Print materials in the Reference collection consist of almanacs, bibliographies (standard, general, and subject specific), biographical sources, concordances, dictionaries (English language, foreign language, and subject dictionaries), general encyclopedias, specific subject encyclopedias, geographical sources (atlases, gazetteers, maps), guidebooks, handbooks, loose leaf materials, manuals, newspaper and periodical indexes and abstracts, pamphlets, statistical/table compilations, basic texts with high reference value, and yearbooks. Government documents are included in the Reference collection if their content falls within the criteria of reference materials.
The Reference Department aims to collect both current and retrospective materials. The emphasis is on current materials but older materials are purchased depending on the information content and the availability of funds. Only one copy of a title is ordered. Exceptions are made to ensure the availability of heavily used materials. Reference books are ordered in hard copy format with the exception of those items that are withdrawn annually when the newer editions are received.
Most reference books are ordered through a vendor. A few are ordered directly from publishers. Some titles are placed on a standing order list. Standing order titles include materials that need to be current to be useful, such as directories, almanacs, yearbooks, etc., as well as materials published on a particular cycle that we choose to order on a particular schedule reflecting information needs and budgetary constraints. Titles on this list will be reviewed annually for additions, deletions, and changes in the frequency of ordering.
Reference materials do not circulate.
Electronic Collection Development Policy
The purpose of acquiring electronic resources is to support instruction and research within the SCSU community. The goal of electronic resource collection development is to reach and maintain a balance between representation of all disciplines and the special needs of individual departments. Among products available on the web, products that accommodate IP authentication from any SCSU IP, including the proxy server for remote access, are given preference over those requiring special client software on PCs with static IP's, or username/password access, for the same reason.
Whenever possible, a trial is arranged for evaluation of the product. Although evaluation is primarily the responsibility of the appropriate subject selector, all reference librarians investigate products during trial periods.
Decisions to acquire, cancel, or transfer a product to a new vendor are made by the Electronic Resources Coordinator in conjunction with Reference librarians, and other appropriate Library faculty.
Electronic Information Access Policy
The computers in the public areas of Buley Library have been provided to support the educational and research mission of Southern Connecticut State University. They have been provided through student technology fees by the Academic Computer Department.
The computers may be used by all Buley Library patrons for library research or information retrieval. They are to be used to access the CSU book collection, those full-text online databases and periodical indexes subscribed to by Buley Library, and the resources of the Internet. Word processing, spreadsheet creation, etc. as well as e-mail must be done in Computer Labs. Game playing is not allowed in the library.
Use of computers may be restricted to one hour. Priority will be given to members of the SCSU community.
We expect patrons to carefully select for printing those pages needed for research. At present, there is no charge for printing, but we reserve the right to limit printing or to charge a fee at any time.
Patrons are encouraged to send selected pages to an e-mail account or download to either floppy or zip disks to use on their own computers. Patrons must supply their own disks.
Users are expected to respect the privacy of others.
Using computers to deliberately harass others is prohibited.
No children may use these computers without the immediate supervision of an adult.
Computers may not be used for private business or commercial activities.
Patrons are responsible for following copyright laws and fair use provisions in the reproduction and use of copyrighted text, images or other resources.
The library reserves the right to delete files for the library computers’ hard drives.
Violators of this policy may have library computer privileges suspended.
The Internet offers access to a vast amount of information beyond the walls of Buley Library. Buley Library accepts no responsibility for the quality of the information found by the searcher. The Internet is unregulated, and you may find erroneous or objectionable material. Users must be aware of the wide range of validity or accuracy, timeliness and general usefulness of information. It is wise to check dates information was posted, and the source of the listing as far as that is possible.
Buley Library adheres to the tenets of the American Library Association’s document, The Library Bill of Rights.
The library does not attempt to censor access to web sites, but expects patrons to search only for material pertinent to academic research.
All Internet users should possess Internet searching skills as librarians do not give extensive help in searching. SCSU community members should contact the Academic Computing Center (392-6444) for information about Internet classes.
The availability of the Internet sites selected by Buley librarians (found through Buley Library’s Research Guides page) cannot be guaranteed because of the changing nature of the Internet.
All of the general computer use policies applying to CSU and Buley Library computers apply to Internet access.
The Reference collection is weeded periodically for the purpose of maintaining an updated and useful collection. Subject selectors are responsible for weeding the collection in their subject areas and all reference librarians participate in the deselection of the general reference collection.
The following criteria are used to determine if a book should be removed from the collection:
How important is the publication in terms of research or historical value?
What is the scope and depth of the work?
Does the material belong in the reference collection or more appropriately in the circulating collection?
How likely is it that the publication will be used in the future?
Is there a later edition, which supersedes this publication?
Is the information in the work duplicated in other works?
Do duplicate copies exist on the shelf?
If the book is in poor condition, should it be replaced or refurbished?
Is the information obsolete?
Are there gaps in the collection that should be filled?
Please be considerate of others and keep noise to a minimum while in the library. This includes, but is not limited to, excessive talking, cell phone use, use of pagers, personal digital assistants, radios, walkmans, loud sound effects on computers/laptops, as well as engaging in any behavior that may disturb library users.
If you must answer a cell phone or pager, please do so in the stairwells or lobby area.
Violators of this policy may be asked to leave the building.
Thank you!
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