ABSTRACT
For almost as long as libraries have provided reference services, they have attempted to evaluate the range and quality of this service, using various approaches and including such diverse elements as the strength of the collection (Lancaster, 1984), the nature of the question (Sears, 2001), demographic information about the user (Lancaster, 1984), and even the environment in which the question is posed (Aluri, 1993). Some examine user satisfaction at the close of the session, or later, while others rely on the library staff members’ assessment of the process to identify strengths and weaknesses. Bunge and Murfin’s Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (Bunge, 1999) is an attempt to bring the two perspectives together in a coherent manner.
