In these modern times, library reference services are taking advantage of new technologies to go to patrons rather than vice versa, as before. The term "roving reference" has been applied not only to reference librarians "roving" the aisles looking for patrons in need of their service but also to new modes of service that bring a librarian to you in while you are in your home. The trend is indicative of how much of a service industry library reference really is and how it is keeping up with the faster paced world of information at one's fingertips.
The face of reference is expanding to a digital one with email, chat, and text message services. What is truly interesting, however, is how much the personal of touch of interacting with a human being has not faded or disappeared and may be even more valued because of the new modes available. You may be getting your reference advice from a librarian across the globe in an online chat, but you still want to read "hello" and "is there anything I else I can do for you?" From the librarian's perspective it is still a human exchange, as well.
In reference work, all questions are valid and that includes online ones. It is refreshing to see that this principle continues to be the case no matter what mode the question is posed in and it speaks to the caliber of people who do reference work.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Librarians Play Well with Others
As a librarian, one reason I know am in the right profession is that librarians are social for a purpose. We communicate well and often about improving our services and ourselves so that we can extend effective and practical guidance about finding and using information to society at large.
All the librarians I've met don't professionally socialize and collaborate as a chore that is merely part of their job. They are truly passionate about their work and want to share it with whoever will listen and benefit from it; moreover, their enthusiasm for sharing in no way diminishes their capacity for listening to what others—librarians, patrons, or anyone else—have to say. This post is a recognition of all the passionate librarians who we interact with everyday and their efforts.
All the librarians I've met don't professionally socialize and collaborate as a chore that is merely part of their job. They are truly passionate about their work and want to share it with whoever will listen and benefit from it; moreover, their enthusiasm for sharing in no way diminishes their capacity for listening to what others—librarians, patrons, or anyone else—have to say. This post is a recognition of all the passionate librarians who we interact with everyday and their efforts.
Becoming an Expert on the Spot: Observations from a Library Reference Desk
Reference librarians must always be prepared to find any resource at their finger tips and match it to a request specific to an individual—with his or her own information needs. The personal aspect of an information need in a reference transaction makes reference work a category unto itself with its own best practices.
One of those best practices begins with how reference librarians educate themselves along their various career paths. They are well served by a background in which they learned about as many subjects and topics as they possible could. You can never anticipate what kind of questions patrons will ask with 100% certainty, so it is more than merely valuable to know strange and obscure facts and jargon that would be irrelevant in other career fields. In reference work no knowledge is discounted because all knowledge can be potentially useful.
Librarians take advantage of this practice once they are in reference positions, as well. There is always something to learn from patrons' questions and librarians find out just the kind of obscure information that is valuable to store away for future reference transactions. Librarians can provide consistent, quality service to patrons by combing the information they've learned through the years, the information they've learned from patron transactions, and training in their own collections.
One of those best practices begins with how reference librarians educate themselves along their various career paths. They are well served by a background in which they learned about as many subjects and topics as they possible could. You can never anticipate what kind of questions patrons will ask with 100% certainty, so it is more than merely valuable to know strange and obscure facts and jargon that would be irrelevant in other career fields. In reference work no knowledge is discounted because all knowledge can be potentially useful.
Librarians take advantage of this practice once they are in reference positions, as well. There is always something to learn from patrons' questions and librarians find out just the kind of obscure information that is valuable to store away for future reference transactions. Librarians can provide consistent, quality service to patrons by combing the information they've learned through the years, the information they've learned from patron transactions, and training in their own collections.
Why Context Matters: Observations from a Library Reference Desk
When someone asks a question or seeks information about something, they are expressing a need that is unique to them and their situation. Thus, they best perceive the context for that need. However, there occurs a disconnect at this point in a reference transaction because communicating an information need is not as straightforward or easy to articulate as it sounds at first. There may be language, dialect, cultural, or other factors that create a situation where the message is not received as was intended by its deliverer.
It is for this very reason that the reference interview is so crucial. An interview gives a librarian a chance to capture as much of the context of a patron's information request as possible. This can be done by asking a mixture of targeted questions, open questions, and often times just letting the patron keep talking till they've found the right words that succinctly express their information need. The better a librarian understands the context of a question, the quicker and more comprehensively he or she can answer it. When libraries take the time to understand their patrons in reference interviews, both the patrons and larger library community benefit from the highly effective level of communication that is the ultimate result.
It is for this very reason that the reference interview is so crucial. An interview gives a librarian a chance to capture as much of the context of a patron's information request as possible. This can be done by asking a mixture of targeted questions, open questions, and often times just letting the patron keep talking till they've found the right words that succinctly express their information need. The better a librarian understands the context of a question, the quicker and more comprehensively he or she can answer it. When libraries take the time to understand their patrons in reference interviews, both the patrons and larger library community benefit from the highly effective level of communication that is the ultimate result.
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