Editing Public library (section)

===Research assistance===
[[File:Holman Library interior (2).jpg|thumb|Library Reference desk in Holman Library, Auburn, Washington]]
Librarians at most public libraries provide reference and research help to the general public. This can include assisting students in finding reliable sources for papers and presentations; helping the public find answers to questions or evidence in a debate; or providing resources related to a specific event or topic. Reference assistance is usually provided through a [[reference interview]] which is usually conducted at a public [[reference desk]] but may also be conducted by telephone or online. Reference librarians may also help patrons develop an appropriate bibliography or works cited page for an academic paper. Depending on the size of the library, there may be multiple reference desks that deal with different topics. Large public, academic or research libraries may employ librarians that are experts in specific topics or subjects. Often the children's section in a public library has its own reference desk. At a smaller library, circulation and reference may occur at the same desk.
	
The Internet has had a significant effect on the availability and delivery of reference services. Many reference works, such as the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', have moved entirely online, and the way people access and use these works has changed dramatically in recent decades. The rise of [[search engine]]s and crowd-sourced resources such as [[Wikipedia]] have transformed the reference environment. In addition to the traditional reference interview, reference librarians have an increasing role in providing access to digitized reference works (including the selection and purchase of [[database]]s not available to the general public) and ensuring that references are reliable and presented in an academically acceptable manner. Librarians also have a role in teaching [[information literacy]], so that patrons can find, understand and use information and [[finding aid]]s like search engines, databases and library catalogs: for instance, patrons who lack access to expensive academic subscriptions can be taught to [[Unpaywall]] to access [[open access]] literature easily.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=25 April 2020|title=New Tools for Finding the Full Text|url=https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2019/12/06/new-tools-finding-full-text|website=The New York Public Library}}</ref>

Public and academic libraries in the US answer over seven million questions weekly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quotable Facts About America's Libraries |url=https://www.ala.org/ala/pio/availablepiomat/quotablefact.pdf |access-date=April 29, 2024 |website=American Library Association}}</ref> The [[Boston Public Library]] answers more than one million reference questions annually.<ref name=tws18novabbb>{{cite news | author = Business Wire | title = Boston Public Library Secures E-Rate Funding; Selects One Communications for 31 Location MPLS Network | quote = "The Internet and emerging technologies have had a substantial impact on libraries," said Mary Bender, Communications Manager at [[Boston Public Library]]. "Content has been digitized and is available in a wider range of formats including video, and resources such as rare books, photos, and research documents now have broader accessibility within the community and around the world." | work = Reuters | date = 9 September 2009 | url = https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS140972+09-Sep-2009+BW20090909 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130201070107/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS140972+09-Sep-2009+BW20090909 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 1 February 2013 | access-date = 18 November 2009 }}</ref>