When you dial (212)340-0849 between 9am and 6pm (Sundays and holidays excluded) here in New York City, you’ll reach one of eight teleref public librarians, who have up to five minutes to respond to your question.
One part-timer is the former head of the telref staff, Barbara Berliner. She is the author of “Book of Answers: The New York Public Library Telephone Reference Service’s Most Unusual and Entertaining Questions” (Simon & Schuster, 1990).
Reporter Anthony Ramirez writes, “When a challenging question comes in, the staff quivers, like human parallel processors, checking reference books and pooling information. They can also consult with as many as 50 other researchers in the library system.”
Here are a few recent queries the staff has had to field: What country had the first license plates? What is the life cycle of an eyebrow hair? What is arachibutyrophobia? How does a person get out of quicksand?
The New York Times article has the answers, but perhaps you’d like to try your hand at it before checking the link…
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