Ohio Reference
Excellence

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Introduction
Reference service
Community needs
First Contact
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Reference process
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Review 1
Quiz 1
Answer 1

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Reference Service

Reference service is valuable to the community.

Tough Questions

     Is Reference Service easy? Not exactly, but it's interesting, challenging, and sometimes fun. What's the challenging part? Working with people. What's the fun part? Working with people!

What Is Reference? Why Is It Important?

     The goal of reference work is to meet people's information needs. Reference work includes finding out what information people need and using library resources to provide that information. Libraries have many roles to play, but a library's reference and information service is especially valuable to the community it serves because of the characteristics of library service.

• Libraries have a variety of information for everyone in the community, but work especially hard to meet individual needs.

• Libraries strive to provide equal, objective service for all patrons.

• Libraries promote the value of information for problem-solving in everyday life or for entertainment and enlightenment.

     What is the mission of a library? Libraries reach out to people who have information needs, in the library, online, or to those who have not thought of using the library. Libraries take steps to assure that all who contact the library are made to feel welcome and at ease.

Definition of Reference Work

     New definition of reference (ALA RUSA 2008):
Reference Work includes reference transactions and other activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information or research resources, tools, and services. Creation and management of information resources includes the development and maintenance of research collections, research guides, catalogs, databases, web sites, search engines, etc., that patrons can use independently, in-house or remotely, to satisfy their information needs. Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation of reference work, resources, and services.

Remote or Virtual Reference

     Reaching out to the community and filling information needs with virtual reference methods is now a reality.

"Virtual reference, also known as e-reference, is online reference service that assists patrons by placing answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on a library’s Web site, mounting selected reference tools, providing an e-mail address or Web form for library patrons to ask reference questions, and/or providing real-time assistance using chat or instant messaging software. Virtual reference can be provided by a single library or it can be a collaborative effort among many libraries. When the service is provided by a single library, the service offers 24/7 access, but not 24/7 response. When it is a collaborative effort among many libraries in different time zones, 24/7 response becomes possible."

[Virtual Reference. Richard W. Boss in PLA Tech Notes, posted December 30, 2004.]

     The methods may differ, but the goal remains the same: find and fill information needs of the community. The need to conduct effective reference interviews, use skill in selecting search strategies, and be knowledgeable about resources, print or online, remains the same. The method of delivery and the need to be skilled in appropriate technologies is changing.

Major Point: Libraries meet the information needs of the communities they serve.

     Many of the ORE Module pages will ask you to work with the reference collection and with your local staff. Sometimes the best reference resources are the "human resources" Ask!

     Write down the answers to the exercise questions in this module and keep them to review with your supervisor at the end of the module.

     1. Does your library have a mission statement, general policy, or reference policy that describes reference service polices, procedures, goals, or mission?

     2. Does the reference policy discuss the value of reference service to your community? If not, ask staff members what they think is the value of reference service in your community.

Answer Key

Community information needs.

New reference definition and new sources: blogs, RSS, Podcasts

"New Technologies in Libraries", excellent list of links to definitions, best practices, presentations for blogs, RSS, wikis, folksonomy, tagging, library catalog 2.0, multimedia, Flickr, Podcasting, You-Tube, social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook), virtual worlds (Second Life), Web 2.0, Library 2.0. [Megan Fox, Simmons, February 2008.]

New definition of reference (ALA RUSA 2008): Reference Work includes reference transactions and other activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information or research resources, tools, and services. Creation and management of information resources includes the development and maintenance of research collections, research guides, catalogs, databases, web sites, search engines, etc., that patrons can use independently, in-house or remotely, to satisfy their information needs. Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation of reference work, resources, and services.

New Ways of Delivering Service: Blogs and RSS. Ian Baaske, North Suburban Library System, March 31, 2006.

Bloglines RSS feeds supply news from hundreds of blogs and news sites, allowing you to check the headlines in a newsreader

Technorati tracks who's linking to you, posts the top topics in blogs at the moment, and lets you find blogs on particular topics.

Digg is a technology news website that combines social bookmarking, blogging, RSS, and non-hierarchical editorial control.

Libraries meet the information needs of the communities they serve and make visitors feel welcome and at ease.

Happy the Clown at Miami Township Branch Library helps put visitors at ease.

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