PCGeek, thanks I like your attitude!

I'd be inclined to a maybe more diplomatic version of PC Geek's advice. I'd certainly want to talk about this to my main supervisor. Definetly cranky behaviour. I'm expected to get my own sources but my supervisor would never withold sources if he knew of any that I didn't - that just makes no sense.

Be careful about being too obviously rude, these peole know each other, and will probably also be working together when you have got your qualification and are off to pastures new, your new sup probably knows her quite well, and may have a different impression, that is just the way it goes. Are the refs very obscure? Have you asked the librarian? They may know, or know how to find out without asking this other person, tell them your problem and they might even enjoy the challenge, it would make a change from the usual stuff they have to deal with.

I guess it just depends on your personality.

The thing is... I've read and seen so many PhD students be total and utter doormats.. not have a backbone when their supervisor treats them like crap. The 'mystical PhD degree' is given so much worship, that certain students are so worried about not getting theirs.. that they take lots and lots of abuse as 1) They *must* be in the wrong, musn't they? 2) Their supervisor is so much more respected than them 3) They don't want to rock the apple cart

Whilst I would be the first to say I am a very loud person - I would only ever dream of being rude to someone who has been rude to me, and only then if it would hammer home the fact to them I refuse to be treated badly.

Maybe a more diplomatic approach is the best course of action, whatever you decide.. don't be a doormat

i do know what you mean. I wouldn't say I've ever been put upon without doing something about it. I'm quite slow to get really cross with anyone, but if I do they might as well just go and live in a corner somewhere, they just end up dead in the water! . The thing is, you lot are on the whole much younger than I am, and therefore may need to be on at least speaking terms with these people that are annoying you in the future, you never know, so to burn your boats may not be the most sensible option in the long run, so smile sweetly and kick the wall you can kick them later when you may not need them any more!