Reference advisory systems board

Computer-based reference advisory systems (RAS) provide a cost-effective way of supplementing reference services during peak hours or during times of minimal staffing service points. The larger system environment in which one RAS, called Materials Librarian, and other reference advisory systems perform their reference functions at the San Diego State University Library is described. The front end is programmed in HyperPAD's PADtalk, a powerful object-oriented programming language. The 4 menu-driven RASs currently available are: 1. the Materials Librarian, 2. the Public Health Librarian, 3. the Nursing Librarian, and 4. the Computer Science Librarian. The Dialog/NLI interface assists the patron who is unable to identify a relevant RAS. The objective of this interface is to suggest the RAS that has the highest chances of meeting the information needs of the patron.