One of the most
important parts of a library is the reference section, where the reference
books are maintained. References include books or any other library materials
prepared only to find specific and limited information and not for reading the
whole book. This section is managed as a half-open shelf, and the reference
books cannot be borrowed. However, atlases can be borrowed for three-seven days
from the central library in case of multiple copies.
Resources available
in the reference section:
Major resources in
this section include:
1. General and
specialized dictionary: a list that mostly
contains the alphabet of words of a language including necessary information
for each word (e.g., pronunciation, origin, definition, synonyms) or its
equivalent in another language.
2. General or specialized encyclopedia:
Encyclopedia is a work containing information in the form of an article on all
humanities. Subjects and topics in the Encyclopedia are usually arranged in
alphabetical order.
3. Order letter: often known as handbook, order letter is an
instruction or work plan and is a compressed book that discusses the main
points of a specific topic.
4. Guide: this term refers to a text that informs a
person about certain things. Human beings, organizations, and services in the
community form the subject of guides.
5. Bibliography: a list of names and specifications of the book
or non-book materials that are ordered in a specific manner without considering
a specific library collection.
6. Catalog: a list of names or specifications of the book
or non-book materials, a collection of one or several libraries and a type of bibliography.
However, a bibliography is not the collection of a specific library.
7.
Biography: a work that contains a
description of the lives of individuals. In Farsi, it is known as Zendeginameh,
Sharhe hal, and biography.
8. Atlas: a work that contains geographical maps which
are similar in terms of size and plan and but are different in terms of scale.
The preparation of maps and atlases is not limited to the recording of
geographic phenomena and all kinds of atlases, including atlas of mines, trees,
diseases, and historical and cultural atlases, have been formed. It is notable
that the Primal Pictures Headquarter, supervised by Ovid, includes atlases,
images, films, and animations of human anatomy and physiology and is available
on the portal of the central library.
Reference Services:
1. Answering
customer questions
2. Helping
customers find the right resources to do research
3. Teaching how to
use the references
4. Providing
services for referring to other libraries and information centers in case of
lack of presence of the desired resources in the library.
5. Recognizing the
reference resources and proposing their purchase
6. Weeding the
resources, if required
Virtual Reference
Services:
1. Users
enter the website of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
2. They select the
option of central library at the top of the page.
3. They enter the
section of “ask the librarian”.
4. They fill in the
information and ask their question through an email.
5. Responses will
be sent to the users after receiving the questions be the librarian.
Regulations:
- To use reference
resources, the membership card must be provided.
- The opening hours
of the reference section of the library: 8:00-14:00 p.m. and 8:00-13:00 p.m. on
Thursdays.
- Users are allowed
to copy the reference books with the coordination of the librarian.