Research Assistance

Reference librarians assist and instruct people in the most efficient ways to identify and access any needed information. Librarians have Masters degrees in Library and Information Science, as well as additional graduate degrees.

At Western Oregon University, our Reference Desk is staffed both by degreed librarians and by knowledgable and customer-oriented library technicians. Our primary job is to help you with any questions you have, and you have multiple ways of contacting us, below.

In Person

Of course you can always visit us at the Reference Desk during library hours.

Instant Messaging

Use the Ask a Librarian chat window in the left-side links on every library page. You don't need your own screen name. This is a private conversation with the WOU librarian on duty.

When WOU librarians are offline, the left-side link changes to L-net, where our partner librarians are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Add us to your IM Buddy List

AIM & Yahoo!screen name: woulibrary

MSN id: refdesk[at]wou[dot]edu

number:479279735

WOULibrary[at]gmail[dot]com

Text

Txt yr ? to 265010
Just start your text with woulibrary: and we'll get back to you as fast as we can (e.g. text us"woulibrary:r u open?" and we'll let you know).

Telephone

Call 503-838-8899 during library hours.

Email

Email refdesk@wou.edu and we will respond within one day.

Reference Consultation Appointment

If you need more in-depth help than can be given through a general reference interaction, make an appointment with one of our subject librarians.
Our staff directory lists their subject areas.