REFERENCE REVAMPSponsored by OLC’s Reference and Information Services Division

What we’ll cover today

The Reference Interview

Remote Reference

Reference Ethics

Reference Sources

Who are we?

Reference Librarian

Adult Services Librarian

Lea Carrigan Jen Downing

Or,Why don’t patrons ask for what they really want?

The Reference Interview:

Reference Gone Wrong!!!

Training Boxers

Reference Gone Wrong!!!

Training Boxers? Training Boxers?

Reference Gone Right!!!

Cinnamon

Reference Gone Right!!!

Cinnamon

Dinosaurs

Reference Gone Right!

Roget’s Thesaurus

Your examples, please!

Approachability

Look up from the desk

Greet people

Smile

Interest & Listening

Give your attention to the patron in front of you.

Treat all questions as important.

Paraphrasing

Let’s the patron know that you have heard and understand the question.

Keeps a talkative patron on point.

Offers patron an opportunity to volunteer more information.

This should be a statement. Questions can sound judgemental!

Asking Open-Ended Questions

Don’t ask “Yes” or “No” questions.

Don’t offer options.

Takes the pressure off you to know something about the topic!

Clarifying

Clarifying questions come late in the Reference Interview.

This is asking specific questions about a particular piece of information.

At this point you may use “Yes” or “No” questions.

You may offer the patron choices.

Verifying

Before you start your search, take the time to verify that you understand exactly what the patron wants.

Gives the patron one more chance to clarify the question.

Searching

What has the patron already found?

Let the patron know what steps you are taking.

Following Up

Make sure you have fully answered the patron’s question.

The only way to know is to ask!

Ending the Interview

Encourage the patron to come back if more information is needed.

You may want to let the patron know how to contact you.

Further Resources

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Website

Ohio Reference Excellence (ORE) on the Web

OLC RISD Blog

Or,I want it NOW!Or,Hello are you still there?

Remote Reference

Types of Remote Reference

What is Remote Reference?

Any reference transaction that is not conducted face to face.

Phone

Email

Chat

Text/SMS

Remote Reference

Conduct a Reference Interview

Don’t forget to cite your sources

Communication style is very important. Mimic the patron’s communication style.

Remote Reference cont.

Following up is very important. Make sure to ask if you have fully answered the question.

Include your contact information so the patron can reach you again if more information is needed.

Reference Ethics

Medical, Legal and Business

Check with your Library’s policy: “Staff cannot interpret medical, tax or legal

questions, nor can they provide advice pertaining to these matters. However, staff can provide resources on a specific medical, tax and legal question.”

-Worthington Libraries

RUSA Guidelines for Medical, Legal, and Business Responses http://

www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesmedical

Patron Privacy

Professional Competence

Privacy and Confidentiality

Intellectual Freedom

Equitable Service and Access

Intellectual Property

Print Reference Sources

Types of Print Reference Sources

Encyclopedias Almanacs Dictionaries Atlases Gazetteers Bibliographies

Directories Guidebooks Handbooks Indices Manuals Yearbooks

Most Important:

Know YOUR collection!

A Few of Our Faves

Online Reference Sources

Useful Web Sites

Ohio Web Library http://www.ohioweblibrary.org/

Open Directory Project http://www.dmoz.org/

Ipl2: Information You Can Trust http://www.ipl.org/

Useful Web Sites

Google Advanced Search http://www.google.com/advanced_search

Wikipedia http://www.wikipedia.org/

Free Journal Articles

HighWire Press (Stanford): http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

Directory of Open Access Journals http://www.doaj.org/

Wiley Open Access: http://

www.wileyopenaccess.com/view/journals.html

Evaluating Websites

Questions to Ask Yourself Who produced the site?

What is the purpose of the site? Who is the intended audience? Is the information accurate? Is the information objective? Is the information current?

Evaluating Websites cont.

Evaluating Web Sites Tutorial http://liblearn.osu.edu/tutor/les1/

Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria & Tools http://

olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webeval.html

Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial http://www.lib.berkeley.edu./

TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Thoughts? Questions?

Contact Info:

Reference Librarian

Fairfield County District Library

lcarrigan@fcdlibrary.org

Adult Services Librarian

Worthington Libraries

jdowning@worthingtonlibraries.org

Lea Carrigan Jen Downing

Resources

Ford, Charlotte. Crash Course in Reference. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008. Print.

Mulac, Carolyn M. Fundamentals of Reference (ALA Fundamentals). Chicago: American Library Association, 2012. Print.

www.olc.org/ore Note: Links are a work in progress, but the information on the site is

wonderful!

http://unllib.unl.edu/LPP/willenbrown.htm The Reference Interview: Theories and Practice

http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesbehavioral Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information

Service Providers

Image Credits:

Slide 3 - http://www.slideshare.net/bcshipps/reference-interview-101#btnPrevious

Slide 4 - http://www.livestrong.com/boxing-training/

Slide 5 - http://www.livestrong.com/boxing-training/ & http://www.gentledogtraining.com/groupclassdescription.html

Slide 6 - http://frogrecruitment.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cinnamon.jpg

Slide 7 -http://frogrecruitment.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cinnamon.jpg & http://www.nyparenting.com/stories/2012/10/sif_cal_dinosaurs_2012_10.html

Image Credits

Slide 8 - http://www.yourdictionary.com/about/rogets-thesaurus.html

Slide 10 - https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/macc-admissions/files/job-reference-check.jpg

Slide 21 - computerhelpall.blogspot.com Slide 22 – actual Worthington Libraries’ IM

transaction Slide 23 -

http://www.acfe.com/uploadedImages/ACFE_Website/Content/images/topic-landing/ethics-and-compliance.jpg

Slide 28 - http://www.hartnell.edu/library/LIB5/reference_books.jpg

Image Credits

Slide 31-http://www.dtalkville.com/aca/ACAIMAGES_BKS/american_decades_1920_1929.jpg, http://images.betterworldbooks.com/023/The-Columbia-Granger-s-Index-to-Poetry-in-Anthologies-9780231139885.jpg,http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q95ENV9JKeA/TAVT5K-46jI/AAAAAAAAASw/_fLREo1RiuU/s1600/512GXBVBX8L._.jpg,

http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780071801171_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG, http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-English-Dictionary-vol-print/dp/0199573158/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364240059&sr=1-2&keywords=oxford+english+dictionary, http://www.ebookws.com/uploads/posts/2013-03/1-business-plans-handbook-vol.22.jpeg, http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781616086992_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG, http://www.ippbooks.com/store/images/T/--7853.jpg, http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781604870152_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG

Image Credits

Slide 32 - http://library.sdsu.edu/sites/default/files/imagecache/gallery_full/Search.png

Slide 38 - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEfCd3qv-2Q/Tcqdx7mqfuI/AAAAAAAACPA/SpRqMTw9Y-M/s1600/questions-1.jpg

Slide 39 - http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdhshlTp9h1rqpa8po1_500.jpg