ABSTRACT
The availability of machine-readable indexes (databases) for online searching from remote locations has expanded the scope of traditional reference service in libraries. The number of reference sources available in this form has increased exponentially during the last decade, and more and more libraries of all types now offer an online search service as an additional source of information. The role of the librarian as the intermediary between the user and his information requirement has extended the search skills needed and enhanced the reputation of the information professional. Until recently most users have not been prepared to invest the time and effort required to learn these skills themselves, and have been happy to permit the information specialist to interpret their requests and to search for information on their behalf. In this situation the user’s role has been the elaboration of the query, the provision of subject expertise and the evaluation of the retrieved document sets to provide feedback on relevance.
