| Telephone reference service has been provided by public libraries throughout this century, but the purpose of such a service or the nature of the reference product and the unique needs of the telephoning patron have not been explored.;Library literature reveals that some attention has been focused on telephone reference service in urban libraries, but suburban systems have evidently not been looked at. A select group of large public libraries in major growth areas of the United States were included in the study. Only consolidated city and adjacent county systems, serving a population of 350,000 or more, were chosen so that clear-cut patterns of urban versus suburban service could be identified, compared and contrasted.;Data on telephone reference activity were collected on a questionnaire mailed to twenty-one identified libraries. All but two of the questionnaires were returned and were subsequently included in the study. A follow-up questionnaire was developed in order to gather statistical data to test the hypotheses quantitatively.;Analysis of the questionnaire responses provides important information on the role of telephone reference, the organization of such a service, guidelines for use, policies, procedures and the effect of proposed changes in telephone rates and telecommunications charges. The respondents indicate that they recognize the needs of the telephoning patron and that they accommodate these needs in a variety of ways, using manual tools, microcomputers or automated information retrieval systems.;This study was designed to investigate trends in telephone reference service in order to contribute to the understanding of a professional activity which has become increasingly automated.;For the first time the importance of telephone reference service as a means of extending the use of public libraries as reference agencies is examined. A view of telephone reference activity in urban and suburban settings is provided, as are suggested guidelines for and alternative approaches to the operation of such a service. |
