ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


384

Lost in the lib ra ry ? Stop 
floundering—follow the fish
B y K ath ry n  G raves

Appealing displays increase 
awareness o f  library resources

A t the University o f Kansas (KU), WatsonLibrary, the Bibliographic Instruction
Group in the Reference Department (BIRDS)
opened an exhibit for the Fall 1992 semester,
entitled “Lost in the Library? Stop Floundering
and Follow the Fish.” The purpose o f the ex­
hibit was to feature the expanding library in­
struction program and an expert system called
Reference Assistant. Displays in six cases all
follow  the fish theme. This 
theme, with delightful illus­
trations by student assistant 
Joel R. Cooper, has proven 
to be eyecatching and at­
tracts attention to this in­
structional exhibit.

Presenting the 
research strategy
The first case presents a li­
brary research strategy that 
recom m en ds consu lting 
general information sources 
(such as encyclopedias and 
the library catalog) for a 
background overview, then 
specialized sources as the 
focus is narrowed to a spe­
cific topic. It also recom­
mends checking indexes to 
journal articles either in print or CD-ROM for­
mat. It suggests asking a reference librarian to 
recommend statistical sources, directories, bio­
graphical sources, or style manuals specific to 
the information needed.

Drawings by student assistant Joel 
R. Cooper attract attention to this 
instructional exhibit.

In the expanded library instruction program 
the BIRDS offer a variety o f options for learn­
ing about KU’s library resources. One case, 
entitled “H ow  to Learn about the Library,” ex­
hibits schools o f fish pursuing these options. 

 Some fish are taking a guided tour. These may 
 be general orientation tours or faculty-sched
 uled course-integrated sessions on a particular 
 subject, at a beginning or advanced level. Other 
 fish are shown using a printed self-guided tour 

while still others are taking a self-guided au­
diotape tour. The audiotape follows a librarian 

 through an instructional session with two new 
 students/library users. Listeners can stop the 

tape as they actually ex­
periment with the online 
catalog or walk from one 
area o f the building to an­
other in this step-by-step 
instruction.

Schools o f fish viewing 
a computer screen illus­
trate that demonstrations of 
electronic databases are 
available. For small groups, 
these demonstrations are 
held at the reference de­
partm ent w orkstations; 
larger groups meet in the 
Anschutz Science Library’s 
conference room that has 
a co m p u ter p ro je ctio n  
panel. One case displays 
sample CD-ROMs, explain­
ing that these include in­

dexes and full-text databases which access jour­
nal and book information.

T w o  cases hold “Subject Guides to Library 
Use.” In these cases are included published bib­
liographies and guides to research on specific

Kathryn Graves is a librarian in the reference department o f Watson Library at the University o f Kansas



385

subjects such as linguistics, religion, psychol­
ogy, German studies, and cultural anthropol­
ogy. Also displayed are many o f the printed 
“Guides for Readers” prepared by KU librar­
ians. These guides are annotated lists o f direc­
tories, biographies, bibliographies, indexes and 
abstracts, almanacs, and statistical sources which 
are available in the KU libraries.

Increasing aw areness of 
censorship
The final case displays banned 
books and is illustrated by a 
blindfolded fish. With the co­
operation o f faculty and teach­
ing assistants in the English 
department, the BIRDS created 
an assignment on censorship. 
The banned books display cor­
responds with one o f the many 
types o f censorship which the 
students research. Each book 
displayed is accompanied by 
an an n otation  e x p la in in g  
when and where the book was 
c h a lle n ge d , s e ize d , su p­
pressed, destroyed or banned.

Introducing an electronic 
e x p e rt system
Keeping with the fish theme, 
the Reference Assistant expert 
system features a screen saver 
with travelling fish (from the 
“Screen Peace” software). Ref­
erence Assistant directs re­
searchers to frequently needed 
reference books without the 
help o f a reference librarian. 
The hypertext system uses a 
mouse to advance the user 
from the main menu to a type 
o f source to a particular book 
with its call number, and finally 
to a floor plan showing the 
shelf or index table location o f 
specific books in the reference 
collection. The Reference As
sistant computer was donated 
by the KU Friends o f the Li­
brary.

This exhibit has attracted 
the attention o f many students, 
faculty, and our ow n library 
staff. People are impressed by

This is an example o f the fish motif used in Watson 
Library’s eyecatching instructional exhibit. It draws 
attention to their expanding library instruction program 
and an expert system c a ile d  R e fe r e n c e  A ssista n t.

This is another section o f the exhibit using the fish theme to 
publicize the library’s resources. The exhibit has increased 
awareness o f the electronic databases.

the organization and visual appeal o f the ex­
hibit as well as by the variety o f instructional 
programs offered and the resources available. 
In addition to its instructional purpose, it is a 
public awareness exhibit in that it introduces 
new programs and the Reference Assistant ex­
pert system, and increases awareness o f the 
electronic databases. ■