In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for end-labeling RNA (total RNA, mRNA, cRNA or fragmented RNA). In one aspect of the present invention, T4 RNA ligase is used to attach a 3′-labeled AMP or CMP donor to an RNA acceptor molecule. In another embodiment, a pyrophosphate molecule 3′-AppN-3′-linker-detectable moiety is used as donor molecule.In another aspect of the present invention, a method of detecting the presence of an RNA of interest in a sample is provided, the method having the following steps: providing the sample comprising RNA which may or may not have said RNA of interest; treating the sample with a fragmenting reagent to provide RNA fragments; removing phosphate groups from said fragments to provide fragments with free 3′ OH groups; ligating said fragment with a labeling reagent according to the instant invention; providing a nucleic acid array having probes directed to said RNA of interest; hybridizing the labeled nucleic acid fragments to said nucleic acid array; and determining the extent of hybridization to said probes to determine the presence of said RNA of interest.