Linfield Libraries: Reference and Research Assistance

Reference and Research Assistance

Reference Librarians

Reference librarians are available at the reference desk during the above hours to help you with your research questions. You may reach them by phone or email other hours for short inquiries or to set up appointments for in-depth assistance.

Reference Librarians:
Jean Caspers, Reference and Instruction Librarian
Carol McCulley, Reference and Distance Learning Librarian
Frances Rasmussen, Director of Resource Sharing
Barbara Valentine, Reference and Systems Librarian
Susan Barnes Whyte, Library Director

Patrice O'Donovan, Portland Campus Library Director

Student Leadworkers specially trained to answer or refer questions are available at the reference desk:

Mon - Thurs: 9pm - 1am; Saturday: 10 am - 5pm; Sunday: Noon - 6pm; 9pm - 1am

Start with a reference librarian for any research challenge, whether you want to know a particular fact or just get started with a large research assignment. Learn how to use the available electronic catalogs and databases or locate information on the Internet. They can help you cut through information overload or find the obscure.

Reference Desk Phone Number: 503-883-2518

Library Instruction

The Reference Librarians at Linfield College meet with many classes to help students learn how to use library and Internet resources for their research assignments. If you feel that the students in your class could benefit from a session with a librarian, please contact (McMinnville Campus) Jean Caspers, Carol McCulley, Barbara Valentine or Susan Barnes Whyte and (Portland Campus) Patrice O'Donovan to make arrangements for one of them to meet with your class. Because many classes meet with librarians, it is recommended that you make arrangements as early in the semester as possible in order to get a date that is suitable to the timetable of the class research assignment.

Electronic Services

Linfield College Libraries provide access to a growing number of electronic resources for finding books, articles, documents, statistics, or facts. From the Linfield College Libraries home page you can find not only the Linfield Libraries Catalog, but also other online catalogs worldwide. In addition, there are dozens of online indexes and databases as well as journal subscriptions available in many different subject areas. Consult a reference librarian above for more information or if you would like assistance in selecting the appropriate database for your purposes.

Finally, the Reference Librarians provide assistance in finding relevant Internet resources in a particular subject areas. See the Web Sites by Subject for a few of our favorite reference sources. Do not hesitate to contact us for a suggestion or an appointment.