Reference Services Overview
The Reference Unit, located on the Second (Main) Level of the Malpass Library, is the place most users begin their search for information. Library faculty and staff are available at the Reference Desk more than 70 hours a week to help users find information and to make the most efficient use of the library's resources.
The Reference Unit also houses the tools, both in print and in electronic format, that are used to identify appropriate resources, to locate facts and to summarize complex concepts. Such resources include WestCat (the WIU Library Catalog), electronic databases, periodical indexes/abstracts, encyclopedias, dictionaries, statistical data, collected biographical information, directories, handbooks, and atlases. Online database search services are available for users with specialized research needs.
In addition to the personal assistance the reference librarians offer at the Reference Desk, they also give detailed instruction on identifying resources in individual subject areas or from specific databases through scheduled classroom presentations or individual conferences.
