Olin Library Reference
General Information Services & Facilities
- Reference
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- Reference Desk
- Reference question form
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Reference
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General Information
Overview
The Olin Library Reference Desk should be the first stop for those who need assistance in learning what resources are available and how to use them. Library staff at the Reference Desk can answer general or specific questions, locate materials, and refer you to electronic or print resources. Full-time Reference staff members are available at the Reference Desk seventy-six hours per week during the regular academic year. To see the current hours, check the Olin Library Reference/Help Desk Hours. To speak to a library staff member at the Reference Desk, call 935-5410. The FAX no. is 935-4919.
Hours
Check the Olin Library hours page for the Reference Unit's current hours. Call 935-5454 to hear a recording of library hours.
Location
The Olin Library Reference Desk is located on Level 1 of the library.
Staff/Contacts
See the Washington University Libraries Staff Roster for a current list of Reference staff.
Collections & Resources
General Reference collection
Olin Library houses an extensive reference collection that supports research in the humanities, social sciences, engineering, and general knowledge. Please ask at the Reference Desk for assistance in using these resources. For more specialized reference collections, you may wish to consult the other departmental and school libraries on campus.
CD-ROM resources
Reference sources on CD-ROM are loaded on a local area network just to the west of the Olin Library Reference Desk on Level 1 of the library. Please ask at the Reference Desk for assistance in using these resources.
Microfiche collections
The library has extensive collections of microform materials. United States government publications, United Nations publications, the Index to International Statistics (IIS) microfiche library, and a very select collection of NTIS documents are filed in the Arc: Technology Center on Olin Library Level A. For assistance in finding these materials, consult the staff in the Arc. For assistance in using these collections, consult the staff at the Olin Library Reference Desk on Level 1 of the library.