Reference and Research Skills

1. Reference and Research Skills Priscilla Speer Jan. 2008

2. The reference Interview: what is it? It’s a conversation between a patron and a reference staffer It’s a means of ascertaining a patron’s needs It’s a strategy employed to assist patrons with research needs It’s the center of reference service It’s where the library most clearly & forcefully demonstrates to the public its value to them. It’s never the same!

3. Steps in the Reference Interview Open the interview. Negotiate the question. Search for the answer Communicate the information to the user. Close the interview. - Bopp/Smith. Reference & Information Services. 3rd ed. Littleton, CO; Libraries Unlimited, 2001. p48.

4. Step 1: Open the interview Non verbal Approachability Questions such as “Can I help you?” Create trust First response is most important

5. RUSA Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference & Information Services Professionalshttp://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/guidelinesbehavioral.htm 1.0 Approachability 2.0 Interest 3.0 Listening/inquiring 4.0 Searching 5.0 Follow-up

6. Step 2: Negotiate the question Communication techniques: - open questions- encourages user to talk - closed questions-leads to short answers - neutral questioning-understanding the context of the information need - active listening-restating what the patron has said to get their agreement that it is what they are needing. Most important stage in the reference interview

7. Interviewing principles Smile and greet patron in a friendly manner Listen carefully, be interested Take question seriously. Ask questions until you completely understand the information need. Never think you know the answer. Invite the user to return if more help is needed.

8. Step 3: Searching for the answer Should do this as a team Continually checking with patron regarding currency, depth, etc… Continue to discuss the question Guide the patron, don’t do all the work for them.

9. Step 4: Communicate the information to the patron Free of jargon Appropriate intellectual level Tell or show the source

10. Step 5: Closing the interview Contributes to the users final impression of the library’s reference service Contributes to user satisfaction Use referrals if unsuccessful Defer until librarian has more time

11. Attitudes & Characteristics of the Reference Librarian Discipline, self control, choosing to listen Sensitivity Patience Broad Knowledge Desire to help Knowledge of Reference sources - Bopp/Smith. Reference & Information Services. 3rd ed. Littleton, CO; Libraries Unlimited, 2001. p49.

12. Avoiding Avoidance Ease of computer searching Non approachable Bad experience Lack of interest Walk through technique Being approachable Listening

13. Online Chat/Virtual Reference • Facts: • Can communicate in real time together. • Many libraries request only submission of short answer questions, no complex questions. • Questions: • Can it be as effective without eye contact, voice, facial expression cues? • What about confidentiality of chat reference transcripts? • Does this engender the fast food approach to scholarship? -Johnson, Corey M. “Online Chat Reference” Reference & User Services. Spring 2004: 237-245

14. Q. First Choice for Reference Help with a Research Project Overall, 66% indicated that they would choose face-to-face reference first. E-Mail reference was a distant second at 20%, and telephone & online chat garnered 9% and 4% respectively.

15. Q. Service Predicted to be Most Heavily Used in Ten Years Respondents predicted that e-mail reference would be the most heavily used service. E-mail reference constituted 42% of the responses, online chat reference 36% of the responses, face-to-face reference 19% of the responses, and telephone reference 3% of the responses.

16. Pathfinders:A Reference Tool Research guides to help patrons Help expedite the research process. The patron uses the pathfinder as a type of tutorial that will get him/her ready to ask questions during the reference interview. Would help alleviate stress for those patrons who prefer to look for themselves first. Creates a criteria for the reference interview. Can be good starting points in the reference interview and good ending points, as in “here is the list of sources for the information you want” but without the human element, they alone are really not the solution to reference questions.

17. Pathfinder format generally includes the following: • Title,introduction, and scope • Starting Points • Referencesources • Card catalog • Online Databases • Journals • Media • Web sites • Further Research

18. Examples of online Pathfinders: • John Newbery Elementary School http://nb.wsd.wednet.edu/lmc/pathfinders/pathfinder.htm • Springfield Township High School Virtual Library • http://mciu.org/~spjvweb/pathmenu.html • Camden County Library - Subject Guideshttp://www.camden.lib.nj.us/reference/subject.htm • Indianapolis Marion County Public Library: • Pathfinders for Kidshttp://www.imcpl.org/kids/guides/index.html • Barley Sheaf School Library • http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/themes.html • Subject Guides: UTC • http://www.lib.utc.edu/guides/index.html • Lakewood High School Pathfinders for Research Projects • http://www.lkwdpl.org/lhs/lhspath.htm • West Springfield High School Library Pathfinders and other Resources • http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/library/pathfinders.htm

19. Bibliography Bopp/Smith. Reference & Information Services. 3rd ed. Littleton, CO; Libraries Unlimited, 2001. p48. Johnson, Corey M. “Online Chat Reference” Reference & User Services. Spring 2004: 237-245 Katz, William A. Introduction to Reference Work. Basic Information Services. Vol. 1. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.