These are answers
to both our most frequently asked questions and miscellaneous
unusual/difficult questions we receive at the Reference Desk. This
FAQ will be updated periodically, so please check back for new
additions.
Please note that some reference sources mentioned in this FAQ may
not be available at every branch. Please check the OPAC
or call the branches to determine availability. |
How
can I find out if your library owns a particular item?
How can I get an item if it is currently checked
out?
How can I get an item if your library does not own
it?
I need an item ASAP. If you do not own it, where can
I go?
Which magazines does your library carry?
How can I find periodical articles on a particular
subject?
Do you carry Federal Government Documents?
How can I find an address/phone number for a
business or individual?
How can I research a company?
Where can I find Consumer Price Index (CPI)
figures?
Can your library give me city directory information
over the phone?
I need an obituary from a particular date. Can your
library get it for me?
Do you have computers or typewriters for public
use?
Can I use your online catalog from my home
computer? |
|
| Q: How
can I find out if your library owns a particular item? |
| A: Check
the Online
Public Access Catalog (OPAC)for Petersburg Public Library
System holdings. The OPAC will indicate if we own an item, which
branch has it, and whether or not it is presently available for
borrowing. |
|
| Q: How
can I get an item if it is currently checked out? |
| A: As long
as the item is not a current bestseller, new video, or reference
material, you can request that it be held for you by placing a
hold. We will contact you when the item is returned and
then hold it for one week at the Petersburg
Library branch of your choice. |
|
| Q: How
can I get an item if your library does not own it? |
| A: You can
request that we search for the item at other libraries around the
state (and even around the country) by placing an Inter-Library
Loan Request. If we find the item, we will have it sent to the
Petersburg Library branch of your choice where you can check it
out using your Petersburg Public Library card. Availability of
some items will depend on the item and the lending policies of
participating libraries. Inter-Library Loan service is also
available at most other area libraries. |
|
| Q: I
need an item ASAP. If you do not own it, where can I go? |
| A: Your
best choice is probably to go to a bigger library. The biggest
public library in the Richmond/Petersburg metropolitan area is the
Richmond
Public Library. You may also try local colleges such as Virginia
State University or Richard Bland
College. Each library has its own policies regarding borrowing
privileges so be sure to contact them to determine your
eligibility. |
|
| Q: Which
magazines does your library carry? |
| A:
Magazine subscriptions vary from branch to branch. The Central
Library has the largest magazine collection and does not circulate
the most current issues. The Rodof Sholom & A.P. Hill branches
carry fewer titles. |
|
| Q: How
can I find periodical articles on a particular subject? |
| A: Try the
online databases. |
|
| Q: Do
you carry Federal Government Documents? |
| A: No. You
may want to try the Virginia State
University Library. |
| Q: How
can I find an address/phone number for a business or individual? |
A: If you
come in to the library, we have several sources for both
businesses and individuals:
- Streets & Trips CD-ROM
- Virginia telephone directories in
hardcopy
- Various business directories
- The Internet offers many good sites for
this information as well. Check our Ready
Reference Internet Sites page for some recommendations.
|
| Q: How
can I research a company? |
A:
Depending on the depth of information you need, there are several
sources available at the Central Library as well as a few Internet
sites you can use. Some sources just list addresses and telephone
numbers, others provide varying depths of information.
Another source for business information is periodical/magazine
articles found in the online
databases. This is a good alternative for private companies
who will not appear in stock reports and other public company
sources. The companies, however, would probably need to be fairly
large or newsworthy to appear in a periodical article.
Some of these items are also available at other PPLS
branches. Check the OPAC
for availability.
For publicly-owned companies (those that issue stock):
|
For
privately-owned companies
|
Other sources on
the Internet
|
|
| Q:
Where can I find Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures? |
| A: The
Bureau of Labor Statistics offers World Wide Web access to CPI
figures going back to 1913 on the Consumer
Price Index page of their Most Requested Series service. |
|
| Q: Can
your library give me city directory information over the phone? |
| A:
Yes--but only for the Petersburg vicinity and for a specific name,
address or telephone number. We do not give "near-bys.
You may also want to take a look at WhoWhere?,
an Internet site which offers a Reverse Phone Number Search for
the U.S. |
|
| Q: I
need an obituary from a particular date. Can your library get it
for me? |
| A: Yes. If
you want us to mail it to you, please mail a written request to
the Central Library indicating the person's name and date
of death (if known), and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
If you indicate a date of death, we can check the Petersburg
Progress-Index.. If you do not have a date of death, we can only
check the Progress-Index up to within a few days of the present. |
|
| Q: Do
you have computers or typewriters for public use? |
| A: We do
not have typewriters for public use but we do have computers that
are equipped with word processing software. |
|
| Q: Can
I use your online catalog from my home computer? |
| A: Yes.
You can access
the Online Public Access Catalog from home. |
| If you have any
questions not covered in this list please contact Webmaster at
(804) 733-2387 or e-mail at webmaster@ppls.org. |
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