use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information
Much of librarianship, whether directly or indirectly, is about helping individuals find the information they need. Evaluating new search engines, creating instructional sessions or programs, and even ordering new materials are all examples of this. In addition, library outreach aimed at making the perception of the library as a helpful place and making librarians seem more approachable is in part an effort to connect potential users to the library’s offerings. Face-to-face help, such as at the reference desk or guiding a user through a catalog search, is a necessary skill for librarians that can sometimes be overlooked. The key to this competency is the social interaction librarians engage in when helping a user with their information request.
While at times the outside perception of a librarian’s job can be relatively insular, caring for books and hiding out in offices, the reality is a much more social experience. The social aspect of librarianship is most keenly observed at the reference desk, where library users with questions large and small come to find some direction. In this position, the librarian must be an approachable representative of the library—eye contact and steady nonverbal communication are key. Many users are reticent to approach a librarian that appears to be too busy to help, and with today’s glut of information sources available, it’s important to able to engage the user and give them a reason to trust the library is their best option. A more recent development in libraries are librarians providing roving reference assistance, making their way through the library with a tablet computer ready to assist. This is a welcome development in making this type of service approachable and can make it easier for the librarian to be focused on engaging as well.
Understanding the question posed by the user is typically a multilayered skill. An important aspect of providing reference desk assistance is determining the extent of information needed. Potentially the user is merely looking for a jumping off point and only needs one or two articles to begin that process. More extensive sources may be required for someone tasked with a difficult research question. In a similar vein, the level of information required is an important determination to make. Satisfying curiosity would most likely not do so with an in-depth journal article, just as a professor requesting information pertaining to his or her research would not be satisfied with articles from a newsmagazine.
A key to effective reference help is being instructive as well as assistive. This can include talking through one’s search process with the user and letting them know why you are checking the particular sources you are. Like many things, search prowess is something that improves with experience, and when serving varied and diverse fields there will be a lot to learn. The librarian should be aware of what sources are important to the various fields represented in the institution, but asking questions about what sources have already been checked is a good way to build a portfolio of places to check in the future for related questions.
With the changes to society brought about by technology, meeting information needs may not be a face-to-face activity. Users with information needs after library hours need to be taken into consideration, as well as distance learners of the institution that may not have even seen the library building. These students’ reference desk resources, then, are the library’s website and databases available to them. Many schools do offer online reference desk-type services in these cases, but as with much distance communication the ability for effective interpersonal communication can be diminished. In design, one can think of the entire website as potential answers to questions. The information architecture, human-computer interaction, and user experience fields are brimming with guides to improve the communication efficiency between website and user.
Evidence
LIBR 230: Issues in Academic Libraries—Investigation #2
This assignment pertains to the necessity of providing accurate, relevant, and appropriate information electronically, in the form of a library website. In it, I address many usability issues present and suggest mostly simple changes that can improve the overall experience. As mentioned previously, some students such as distance learners only have the library website as their connection to the library, so it is important to be vigilant in maintaining it
LIBR 230: Issues in Academic Libraries—Investigation #2
LIBR 244: Online Searching—Final Project
This project was conducted at the end of a semester of in-depth search techniques within major databases. To apply the skills I gained, I approached a person with an information need (in this case, my wife) and conducted an interview to determine what I’d be looking for. Because the information need was somewhat broad, I organized resource information by topic. The first document presents my findings as well as an overview for the information seeker, while the second document is the instructor report, describing the search process and how it was conducted.
LIBR 244: Online Searching—Final Project doc 1
LIBR 244: Online Searching—Final Project doc 2
Conclusion
I believe a driving force for me when I begin my profession is providing students and other users with a positive impression of the library. Friendly and effective assistance with information search is a prime example of a way that can be accomplished. I believe my passion for solving problems and helping others with finding the information they’re after will serve me well in the academic setting.
Life is information, information is life. 