UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — No matter where Penn State students conduct research — whether they visit a physical help desk or connect online — Penn State University Libraries offers a diverse array of research assistance tailored to every student’s needs and comfort.
Students don’t have to visit their campus library’s service desk to access research assistance and reference services. “Ask a Librarian” offers in-person, text or online help from library employees; trained students called peer research consultants are available at the Search Bar; and subject-organized library guides help students access world-class research assistance as simply as by logging on to their computer from wherever they study.
There are many reasons to use the University Libraries’ online and in-person help desks, said Tom Reinsfelder, co-coordinator for "Ask a Librarian" and head librarian at the Lee. R. Glatfelter Library at Penn State York and Mont Alto Campus Library at Penn State Mont Alto.
“Primarily, I think it saves time. Navigating the complexity of resources in such a large library can be daunting, and we can help get people to the right place a little bit quicker,” Reinsfelder said. “But we can also recommend resources that students might not have known about, often regarding a specific research question or topics they're researching.”
'Ask a Librarian' (ASK)
The University Libraries “Ask a Librarian” (ASK) service is a free online reference desk, accessible to anyone via live chat, email, text message, phone call or in-person appointments for brief and in-depth research needs. The service can help students address class assignments, discover resources and experts in a range of subjects, locate books and information not found online, and explore library services.
“ASK is a great first stop for students when they are beginning to research a topic for a class assignment,” said Ellysa Stern Cahoy, education librarian. “We can help them get started with their research by suggesting a database or sharing a search that will help them begin to collect relevant and trustworthy information on their topic. All questions are welcome, and ASK is a no-judgment zone. From the most general library questions to advanced topic explorations, we take them all.”
For students who may be new to academic research or apprehensive about asking for in-person help, the "Ask a Librarian" resource can be beneficial because of its dedicated staff. But any student can benefit from ASK, said Alex Bainbridge, research services specialist at the Eberly Family Special Collections Library. “Seasoned researchers can get connected with subject experts that know fine details of current literature resources, and newer students can get help starting their research or finding information about what the University offers to support their research, from databases to maker spaces to affordable and free textbooks.”
Bainbridge said many student users remark about the helpfulness of ASK, saying, “I wish I’d known about this service years ago,” and “this saved me so much time.” Reinsfelder, who oversees ASK feedback responses, says that students consistently provide high ratings for their interactions with the Libraries, noting common responses, such as “The advice was very helpful and it came very fast,” “Saved my day!” and “Librarians are the best!”
Students can start by clicking on the “Ask a Librarian” blue button on the right side of every University Libraries web page or the ASK link at the top. For more in-depth needs, users can schedule a research appointment and meet with a librarian by phone, Zoom or in person.
What should every student know about ASK, according to Bainbridge: “There are absolutely humans on the other side of the screen that really care about getting you what you need.”
The "Ask a Librarian" live chat option is available during normal business hours across all Libraries locations — and it’s available to any library user, not just students. At other times visitors can explore an interactive self-help tool to receive useful links and information or to submit a question.
The Search Bar
The Search Bar offers a suite of peer-to-peer undergraduate student services in Sidewater Commons, located on the first floor of Pattee Library on the University Park campus. Its services are designed for peers to assist other students toward academic success via a collaboration between the University Libraries, Penn State Learning and the Department of Applied Linguistics. Typical guidance includes research assistance with assignments, writing and English language support, although no question is too small.
“You don’t need to have a large list of questions,” said Keegan Fobes, a peer research consultant and fourth-year senior studying history, business in the liberal arts, political science and creative writing. “You can stop by just to ask a few things — I’ve had 30-second meetings! Really, it’s a service meant to help you with absolutely anything you need — so don’t feel intimidated. We are here solely to help you.”
The unique nature of peer-to-peer tutoring at the Search Bar provides an accessible and welcoming space for students to seek academic support without the pressure of a formal setting, said Devanshi Gupta, a second-year computer science major who works at the Search Bar as a writing tutor.
“I think it’s worth emphasizing how much of a community space the Search Bar is. It’s not just a help desk: it’s a place where students can engage in meaningful discussions, refine their ideas and support one another,” said Gupta.” The sense of academic camaraderie is what makes it so impactful.”
One benefit to working in the library, especially for student workers, is the opportunity for tutors and consultants to learn while offering research assistance. “Working at the Search Bar, I’ve learned quite a lot about the different tools and services that the Libraries provides for research,” said Fobes. “This has helped me immensely with my own research projects, including my undergraduate thesis that I’m currently working on.”
Learning something new isn’t specific to student workers, however. Cahoy, a librarian with more than 15 years’ experience supporting the ASK service, agreed.
“You can never anticipate the range of questions you will receive. I recently helped a professor with a question involving materials written in Greek and learned, through this work, some different resources for translating materials, such as the multi-language character recognition function in Adobe Acrobat Pro.”
What do Search Bar tutors wish every student knew?
“That the Search Bar isn’t just for people who are struggling — we’re here for everyone. Whether someone needs a second opinion on a paper, wants help organizing their thoughts or just needs guidance on citations, we’re a great resource,” Gupta said.
The Search Bar is open when classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters. Peer Research Consultants offer walk-in consultations — no appointments required — and in-person or virtual appointments that can be made through Starfish. General inquiries should be directed to Search Bar staff at searchbar@psu.edu.
Online subject guides
Also known as Library Guides, online subject guides offer broad advice on research strategies and are curated by librarians on a wide variety of subjects.
“Librarians create detailed subject guides for just about every major, to direct students to useful databases and other tools and to locate the professional and scholarly information needed for their programs and areas of study,” Reinsfelder said. “We often direct students and others to these guides.”
Library Guides are divided into subject areas and also listed alphabetically; course guides offer research guidance based on specific Penn State courses; and how-to guides offer general help for using the University Libraries’ tools and specific resources, such as citation guides, and conducting research. Online subject guides are updated regularly to ensure that all resources are up to date. They offer easy-to-use, expert-curated knowledge and shared information with minimum interaction to researching students.
Most Library Guides’ content also is available online to any library user, although some resources, such as library databases, may require Penn State ID authentication to access remotely. Library users across Pennsylvania not affiliated with Penn State can still use those resources at University Libraries’ designated community computer stations.
If there is one takeaway that University Libraries employees want students to know, it is that they are eager to introduce students to the trove of online resources that Penn State University Libraries has to offer. But more important, they want to build community with each interaction.
“It’s not just about answering questions — it’s about building confidence and fostering independent learning,” said Gupta.