Reference and Information Services 42.1 Reference Services and Reference Work

Reference services are all the functions performed by a trained librarian (reference librarian) employed in the reference section of a library to meet the information needs of patrons (in person, by telephone, or electronically), including but not limited to the following activities.

• answering substantive questions

• instructing users in the selection and use of appropriate tools and techniques for finding information

• conducting searches on behalf of the patron

• directing users to the location of library resources

• assisting in the evaluation of information

• referring patrons to resources outside the library when appropriate

• keeping reference statistics, and

• participating in the development of the reference collection.

In a more generalized definition, reference services are collectively organized services to serve the library users in finding information and the personal assistance offered to them.

Samuel S. Green is the pioneer in formal reference services. He wrote a book entitled "Personal Relations Between Librarians and Readers" in 1876 (1st conference of the ALA). The Boston Public Library is the first library to offer a full time reference position in 1883.

Librarians who specialize in reference work are reference librarians. Reference work, as defined by Rothstein, is the personal assistance given to serve the library users in finding information. A reference librarian is tasked to

• work in public services

• answer questions posed by library patrons at a reference desk, by telephone, or via e-mail

• provide point-of-use instruction on the use of library resources and information technology

• assist in the selection of a balanced collection of reference materials to meet the information needs of the library's clientele.

According to the ALA Reference Service Guidelines, there are six points of view to which the duties of a reference librarian is measured. These are:

• services

• resources

• access

• personnel

• evaluation

• ethics

When a query message thrown be a user to the reference librarian is ambiguous and incomplete, it is necessary for the librarian to conduct a reference interview or a query negotiation. This is an effective means of negotiating with the user to ascertain what the user really wants. James I. Wyer and Samuel Rothstein both developed parallel theories on the level of assistance reference librarians can give to library users. The question that aims to seek information being thrown by a user to the reference librarian is the query message. It has two components - the given and the wanted. The given serves as the starting point for the reference librarian in locating the wanted particular information.

• Example: What is the meaning of library automation?

• Given: library automation

• Wanted: definition

The query message that a user can throw are of four (4) types.

• Directional queries - These queries are rooted from the question "where".

They aim for information about an exact location, or maybe, about how to get onto a particular location.

• Ready reference queries - These are reference queries that can be answered by a reference librarian in one or two minutes by providing a fact or piece of information found in a single source.

• Specific search queries - These are in the form of questions that are formed by "what, when, where, why, and how". The answers to such queries are very specific and can be given outright without further inquiries.

• Research queries - Upon further inquiry, what at first appeared to be a simple query may turn out to be an opening gambit in a more extensive search, once the nature of the information need is fully understood. These queries are now in the form of research queries.

Either in the point of view of the reference librarian or the library user, there is a conscious approach to decision-making in order to achieve certain specified objectives, known as the search strategy. There are two (2) possible approaches to this. Either

• the user is enabled to exploit bibliographic structure in order to achieve an objective, or

• the reference librarian will be the one to exert all efforts to help the user achieve his/her objective.

In ether way, the query can be treated in any of these two approaches in order to achieve the desired endpoint.

• specific to general (citation pearl-growing)

• general to specific

Rothstein enumerated three different varieties of reference service.

• Information Service - This provides the answer to a question or information need regardless of its complexity or the length of time it takes to find the answers.

• Instructional Service - This teaches individuals how to locate information themselves, or assists them in understanding and using reference tools whether these are reference books, databases, or card/online catalogs. It also teaches users how libraries and the information that they hold are organized and how librarians can assist them.

• Guidance - This service advises and assists the user in the identification and selection of appropriate materials about a particular topic rather than teaching specific skills.

42.2 Computer-Aided Search

A very helpful means of locating the desired answer to reference queries is through computer-aided search. Through the computer systems, a user can choose any from three (3) computer resources to find the particular information they want - online information systems (online databases), reference sources in CD-ROMs, and the internet (through various search engines and online directories).

The most prominent computer-aided searching is through databases. A database is a large, regularly updated file of digitized information (bibliographic records, abstracts, full-text documents, directory entries, images, statistics, etc.) related to a specific subject or field. It consists of records of uniform format organized for ease and speed of search and retrieval and managed with the aid of database management system (DBMS) software. A database searcher can browse through national bibliographic utilities, distant library catalogs, electronic files accessible via the internet, or locally produced databases.

42.3 Information Services

Information service is rendered through different means.

• Answering ready-reference questions - Through various reference source materials, a ready-reference question be answered by a reference librarian in one or two minutes by providing a fact or piece of information found in a single source.

• Bibliographic verification - This type of information service provides facts about publication rather than information about events, people, places, and organizations. This ensures that the user accesses the right materials to answer his/her queries in case the user wishes to do so.

• Interlibrary loan (ILL) and document delivery service (DDS) - There are certain instances when the library does not have enough resources to address the information needs of its users. If library is a member of a group of libraries sharing resources, the library may borrow some materials from any of the other libraries within the group which has the material needed. When this material is handed to the reference librarian, the information needed by the user is delivered through any of the different channels of document delivery service (fax, e-mail, postal service, etc.)

• Answering research questions - Research questions are the most complex in nature compared to the other types of queries. It entails a systematic, painstaking investigation of a topic, or in a field of study, often employing hypothesis and experimentation, undertaken by a person intent on revealing new facts, theories, or principles, or determining the current state of knowledge of the subject. The reference librarian does not really

conduct the research himself/herself, but provides the researcher useful information for the completion of the research work.

• Current awareness service - This service is designed to keep library users aware of new materials acquires, new services, or any other developments in the library. This can be through public bulletin, library publication, or any other possible means.

• Selective dissemination of information (SDI) - This is a customized service offered most frequently to researches in academic or special libraries.

This aims to review newly available documents and select most relevant items to the needs of an individual or group and recording them so that notification may be sent to them. A library that offers this type of service maintains records of users' profiles (description of users' needs and interest, usually transcribed in machine-readable form) and document records (description of the materials in machine-readable form). Through these records, the reference librarian determines the hit - the positive matching of a user's and document's discipline.

• Database searches - The library may allow the user to search databases available for access in the library. There are two basic types of library databases.

1. Bibliographic databases contain data on how to identify and access the appropriate material that can help the user. These are generally the machine-readable form of indexes, abstracts, and catalogs.

2. Non-bibliographic databases are a variety of databases distinguished from bibliographic databases by content, style, and format.

o Full text databases - The base record in these databases is the full paper, document, or article itself, with the associated bibliographic information rather than a citation to a paper or other documents located outside the database.

o Numeric databases - The base record in such databases are statistical tables, along with the citation to the printed counterpart from which these table have been drawn.

o Graphics databases - The key element in the base records here are in graphic representations.

o Directory/addresses databases - In such databases, the base record is a name, address, and telephone number. Business directories have additional information related to business activities, employees, etc. in their base records.

Nowadays, information is considered by many as a commodity that can be bought, sold, and traded for gain. People who deal with specific problems to come up with citations and documents which will aid the user in the solution of a problem are known as information brokers. Their services is usually for a fee.

42.4 Instructional Services

There are several means of giving instructional service to library users. These include the following.

• Library orientation - According to James Rice, this is the first level of giving instructional services to library users. It comprises service activities designed to welcome and introduce users and potential users to library services, collection building layout, as well as the organization of materials.

• Library instruction - Considered as the 2nd level in instructional services, this aims to give instructions in the use of libraries with an emphasis on institution-specific procedures, collections, and policies. It concentrates on tools and mechanics, including techniques in using periodical indexes, reference sources, card and online catalogs, and bibliographies.

• Bibliographic instruction (BI) - This is any activity designed to teach users how to locate information they need. In contrast to library instruction, it goes beyond the physical boundaries of the library and beyond institution-soecific confines. Bibliographic instruction intends to teach principles of information organization and retrieval to provide learners with the knowledge to function in a broad range of information situations and environments.

• Information management education - This term emerged from medical librarianship in the 1980s. It refers to instructing the users in the identification, retrieval, evaluation, and use of information. This education demands that librarians depart from their traditional roles as mere providers of information, by instructing users how to use and manage information.

42.5 Guidance

The following are varied types of services that aim to advise and assist users in the identification and selection of appropriate materials about a particular topic or subject,

• Readers' advisory services - This reflects the concept of personal assistance of the librarian to users. In some public libraries, this exists in the form of helping users identify fictional and other recreational materials that will satisfy their individual interests and tastes.

• Bibliotherapy - This is a more specialized form of guidance generally practiced in a group. It intends to facilitate personal growth or rehabilitation of group members through discussion of the material read or viewed. There are two (2) primary types.

o Clinical Bibliotherapy - This is used by medical doctors and hospital librarians with persons who have emotional or behavioral problems (e.g. mental patients) to encourage self-understanding or behavioral change.

o Developmental Bibliotherapy - This is used with a wide variety of individuals in schools, or public libraries to promote self-knowledge personal growth, and the successful completion of developmental tasks associated with various life stages.

• Term paper counseling - This can be done in high school and academic libraries by providing all sorts of assistance to students in accomplishing their academic papers like term papers. This is also known as research consultation.

• Research assistance and consulting - This type of service provides guidance regarding a project the user/client is pursuing. The librarian may be asked to participate (as in consultancy) in the implementation of the recommendations produced under the agreement.

Chapter 43 - Filipiniana Reference and Information Sources