BASICS OF REFERENCE

SOURCES AND SERVICES

PRESENTATION CONTENTS
I.

II. III. IV. V. VI.

History and definition of reference and reference services What is reference service How does reference service work The reference interview Reference sources Videos

I. HISTORY
Samuel Swett Green
- Father of reference work and was considered as the founding figure in Americas public library movement (Wikipedia)

SAMUEL SWETT GREEN

Documented the first published account credited to reference

service in 1876. Became President of the American Library Association (ALA) in 1891. During his Presidential Address, he said these memorable words, "The function of the library is to serve its users. Believed that a librarian should be as unwilling to allow an inquirer to leave the library with his question unanswered as a shopkeeper is to have his customer go out of his store without making a purchase.

II. WHAT IS REFERENCE AND REFERENCE SERVICE?

Reference -is the act of referring or consulting (MerriamWebster) Reference Service - the professional advice and assistance provided by the library staff, from materials in the library's collection or elsewhere, to assist individuals using the library's reading rooms or making enquiries by mail, telephone or online to meet their information needs (Library definition)

SCENARIOS IN REFERENCE SERVICES

Traditional reference service vs Modern / virtual / online reference service

Traditional Reference Services

Traditional reference service is when an information client approach a reference desk and seek the help of the librarian or information manager. The reference interview is personal through face to face interaction. There is library instruction. Correspondence by mail is practice.

Modern/Virtual/Online Reference Services

Virtual, remote or online reference refers to a non face to face interaction with the information client but rather using mediums such as instant messaging (IM) through free chat softwares (yahoo messenger, google talk, AOL), emails and videoconferencing for faster communication. The use of Web 2.0 tools (wikis, blogs, podcasting, tagging) facilitates the availability of updated information.

Modern Reference Services Modern/Virtual/Online Reference Services

Social networking sites such as facebook and twitter promotes resource sharing, communication and exchange of ideas among the information community and are globally popular.

The use of remotely available resources such as information databases is adding up.
Electronic publications such as e-books are rapidly gaining popularity.

EVOLVING TOOLS IN REFERENCE SERVICES

The functions of the Reference Librarian have remained constant. The difference that exists now is primarily in the tools that are used.
Before

The used static resources such as books, magazines, and newspapers and a library card catalog to point out the location of materials.

Now Reference librarians have incorporated a host of new tools like the computers, android phones, ipads or tablet computers, CD-ROMs, telecommunications, and the Internet among other to assist the information needs of the library clients.

e.g. The use of the online public access catalog (OPAC) has replaced the card catalog boxes. Mobile devices now has access to online resources via telecommunications or wireless internet connection.

III. HOW DOES REFERENCE SERVICE WORK

1. Inform or teach the information client about your services.
The information client contacts the library when there is a need for information. The library can encourage the information client to contact the library when he/she needs information

Question and Answer It is asking someone with the information skills to deliver answers to an information problem.

2. Assist the information client with their reference questions. Do a reference interview to find out what the real information need is

Good reference interview = Effective reference service

3. Guide the information client in selecting relevant materials that will answer the questions asked.

4. Do the reference search

Find the information that will meet the need

5. Do a follow up or evaluate the results

Making sure the patron's information need was met.

IV. THE REFERENCE INTERVIEW

The reference interview is structured to help the librarians provide answer for the library user

STAGES OF A REFERENCE INTERVIEW

1.

2.

3. 4.

5.

Welcoming. Gathering general information from the user and getting an overview of the problem. Confirming the exact question. Intervention, such as giving information, advice or instructions. Finishing, including feedback and summary.

V. REFERENCE SOURCES

Reference sources are designed to be consulted rather than to be read through.

Basic reference sources

Almanacs Atlases, Maps Dictionaries/Thesaurus Encyclopedias Medical and Health Information Sources Guidebooks/Manuals Literary Guides Community information materials

WHAT ARE READY REFERENCE SOURCES?

Ready

reference is about facts

The

answers to ready reference questions can be found in a dozen or more books, materials commonly at the reference librarians disposal

TYPES OF READY REFERENCES

1.

2.
3. 4.

5.
6.

General fact books Almanacs and yearbooks Handbooks and manuals Quotations Advice and information materials Directories

1. GENERAL FACT BOOKS

Basic reference facts published throughout the world each year. It is the source to unusual queries or peculiar information. Examples: Encyclopedia of World Facts and Dates New York Public Library Desk Reference Famous First Facts Guinness Book of World Records Whos Who In Medicine

2. ALMANACS AND YEARBOOKS

Recent information Brief facts Indicate trends Index to more information Directory and biographical information Browsing for fact lovers

Almanacs contain useful data and statistics on countries, personalities, events, subject, etc. Example:

World Almanac and Book of Facts

Yearbooks/Annuals contains data and statistics of a given year Examples:

Europa World Yearbook Statesman's Yearbook

3. HANDBOOKS AND MANUALS

Reference sources for given fields of knowledge, with emphasis on established knowledge rather than recent advances Examples:
Emily Posts Etiquette Manual for Writers First Aid Manual Roberts Rule of Order

4. QUOTATIONS
The index to who said what is the role of the book of quotations. Examples:
Familiar Quotations (Bartletts ) The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Gales Quotations: Who Said What

5. ADVICE AND INFORMATION

Information from professional fields such as medicine and law written for the general consumer Examples
Mayo Clinic Family Health Book Legal Research Consumer Reports Drug Bulletin

6. DIRECTORIES
To locate people, experts, and organizations through addresses, phone numbers, zip codes, titles, names etc. Examples: Local directories, such as telephone directories Philippine Archives Directory Membership Directories of Associations Drug Directory

VI. VIDEOS
The reference interview How to promote reference services

REFERENCES
Basic reference resources: a guide for New Mexico Public Libraries. Accessible at www.nmstatelibrary.org/docs/BasicRefSources.pdf

Historical development of reference service, a backgrounder. Powerpoint slides prepared by the University of the Philippines Mindanao Library, accessible at http://library.upmin.edu.ph
Reference services 2.0. Accessible at www.inflibnet.ac.in/caliber2009/CaliberPDF/Pegah%20Tajer.ppt Ramos, Marian and Abrigo, Christine. Reference 2.0 in Action: An Evaluation of the Digital Reference Services in Selected Philippine Academic Libraries. Accessible at http://conference.ifla.org/past/ifla77/199-ramos-en.pdf Tyckoson, David A. What is the best model of reference service? Library Trends, 2001. Wan Ab Kadir Wan Dollah and Diljit Singh. Digital reference services in academic libraries. Accessible at http://www.lib.usm.my/elmuequip/conference/Documents/ICOL%202005%20Paper%207%20Wan%20Abdul%20Kadir%20 &%20Diljit%20Singh.pdf

THANK YOU
Alma Degala-Prosperoso Librarian
World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific