ABSTRACT
Academic institutions issue catalogs designed for use by prospective and current students which explain the facilities of the institution, its philosophy, its programs, its staff, and its organization. This article indicates there is a significant relationship between the catalog image of library services and performance on fact-type queries asked via telephone. Reference librarians can examine the information about the library contained by the institution’s catalog as a simple, practical step in the evaluation of reference services. Since the catalog is a primary vehicle of information for academic students, an appropriate description of the library could help in projecting a positive image of the library’s philosophy, collections, and services.
