Ask A Librarian / Reference Services

Reference assistance is available to all students, faculty, and staff. Library staff provide many levels of research support, from answering questions to guidance with topic selection, database searching, finding and citing sources, and help with course assignments.  Library staff are available in person, by phone, and by email during the hours the libraries are open.

The goal of reference services is to teach students and patrons how to find information by educating them on the use of the library catalog and proprietary databases.  Reference services will strive to meet, and also to anticipate, user requests. The library staff will encourage user awareness of information resources to fulfill individual information needs.

Individual reference consultations can be scheduled with any member of the library staff. Individual sessions require a 24-hour notice and can be held at either the Ruska Library (Worcester Campus) or Swan Library (Leicester Campus).

» Online Library Consultation Request Form

By using the library website, patrons gain access to the catalog, databases, and various online resources.   The library website links the user not only with Becker libraries’ holdings, but also resources to search for books, journals, newspapers, and other materials in catalogs of other colleges and institutions.

Inter-Library Loans for materials not available at the Libraries may also be arranged at the reference desk or by using the form below:

» Online Inter-Library Loan Request Form