ref service names

[I. Pour-El]

Here, as promised, is my summary of reference desk, reference service, and
online reference service names.  Names used more than once are followed by
the number of used in ().  Some sites used more than one term.

US reference desk names: reference desk (3), reference (5), information desk
(5), information (3), information center, special services, IRS (information
and research services) desk, research consultation, reference kiosk,
reference and research services and ask here (my favorite).

US spoken terminology: reference desk (6), reference (3), information desk
(2), info desk, reference and research services, kiosk, desk, telephone
reference, infodesk.

US online reference service names: ask, askchslib, reference service via
email, reference assistance, computer-assisted reference service, refmail,
refquest, reference.


Country	Language    	 Desk sign		spoken term

NZ	Maori       	Wahi whakaatu pukapuka 	(always English)
			(place explain book(s)
	English		Information desk	Information desk

AU	English		Information desk	Reference desk

AU	English		Information		Information or reference
						desk or staff

Switz	French		Information		-

DE	German		Benutzerinformation	Auskunft

AR	Spanish		Referencia		-
			(reference desk)
			Consultas y referencia
			(questions and reference)

NL	Dutch		Informatie		-
			(information)
			Inlichtingen
			(getting information	-

CA	French		Reference		Service de reference
			-renseignments (informations)
			-aide au lecteur (help to reader)
			-reperage automatise (searches in databases

All online reference service names came from the US except for 1 French
Canadian one, "reperage automatise" (searches in databases).  


Finally, the ISU general online reference service is called WebRef, and
the animal science reference service (hopefully up today) will be known as
AmSci Answers.

Thanks for all your help, 
---
I. Pour-El						pourel at iastate.edu
Reference and Instructional Services Librarian		515-294-1004
152 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011