The Reference service helps you to receive expert assistance from library staff to carry out bibliographic searches, search catalogues and databases, and compile bibliographies.
Who it's for
The Reference service offers you the opportunity to receive assistance from a librarian to solve any issues encountered during your bibliographic research.
The librarian can help you find books and journals (both in print or online version when available) by using local catalogues in the most effective way or, if the works are not available in the city, by identifying the information needed to activate the interlibrary loan or document delivery service.
The service can be used at the start of bibliographic research on a specific subject. In this case, as well as advising you on the best use of catalogues, the librarian can also suggest other available resources that are useful for your purpose and explain how to consult them. These resources include online databases, both bibliographic (containing articles from academic and specialist journals) and factual (containing statistical or financial data, or balance sheets).
For enquiries not relating to a specific library, you can use Ask the Libraries, the centralised service provided by the University Library System in cooperation with the Archiginnasio and Salaborsa libraries of the City of Bologna.
When it is available
The service is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6.45pm.
How to request the service
The service can be requested in person in the library, by phone or by email.
Response time
As a rule, the service is provided on a rota basis by librarians who are able to pause other tasks.
