The University of Toledo

Reference Services

The librarians are here to help you use the library to its fullest.  Please don't hesitate to Ask A Librarian any questions!

Reference & Information Services

The reference librarians at UT are here to help connect you to the information you need.  We offer many services in order to meet the information needs of a variety of different patrons, whether you are a student, an instructor, a staff member, or the general public.  We can help you locate materials in our collections or at other libraries, use a variety of reference books, indexes, and databases, and can assist you in finding effective search strategies to streamline your research.   Some of the reference services we offer are listed below and on the Ask A Librarian page.

• In Person Each of the campus libraries provide in-person assistance at a designated information or reference desk.  Please don't hesitate to ask the reference librarians for help in locating materials, using the computerized catalogs and databases, or for information about library services.  The reference desk service hours vary by location.  At Mulford Library, ask for help at the service desk; some questions may need to be referred to the reference librarian on call.
• Individual Appointments  Reference librarians are also available by appointment for one-on-one reference consultation and instruction.  Scheduling an appointment allows librarians time to provide in-depth help with your research.  To set up an Individual Appointment on Main Campus, contact your Subject Librarian to make an appointment; on the Health Science Campus, please use this form to schedule an individual appointment at the library or in your office.
• By Phone Reference librarians also answer questions over the telephone.  Please remember, however, that the person in the library comes first; we may be away from the phone helping another patron.  Please leave a message on our voice mail system with your question and a number where we can reach you.  Telephone numbers for reference questions are:  
     Carlson Library:   (419) 530-2325
     Mulford Health Science Library: (419) 383-4218
     LaValley Law Library, (419) 530-2946. 
• By E-mail The reference librarians also answer questions submitted through the web or by e-mail to AskIt@utnet.utoledo.edu (on the Main Campus) or MulfordReference@utoledo.edu (on the Health Science Campus) .  Questions will be answered within two working days, usually faster.  This method is usually best for factual or directory type questions; other types of questions may be best answered in person.  Please see the AskIt web page or Mulford Reference page for details or to submit a question.
• By Instant Message  Asking a reference question by IM is easy... use the screennames UToledoLibraries or MulfordReference on your favorite IM service to contact us.  Details are available on the Ask A Librarian page.

Literature Search Requests

As a service to their faculty, residents, and staff, the reference librarians at Mulford Library provide a service where they can search the literature for you on a specific topic.  Please see the Mulford Library Reference page for details.