THE ART OF THE REFERENCE INTERVIEW

THE ART OF THE
REFERENCE
INTERVIEW
ANGELA SEMIFERO
B EGINNING WO R K SHO P 2016
THE LIBRARY AS INFORMATION
CENTER
•
People search for information in context of
situations
•
People prefer personal rather than institutional
resources to get information
•
Libraries are confusing and intimidating!
•
Information seeking – Immediate need
•
Information gathering – Deferred need
LIBRARIANS WEAR MANY HATS
•
Navigator
•
Negotiator
•
Doctor
•
Lawyer
•
Accountant
•
Teacher
•
Baby-Sitter
•
Social Worker
•
Bartender
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
1. It is impossible to know EVERYTHING, despite
what your patrons might think.
2. It’s ok to take your time.
3. Note: The first part of Reference is “Refer”
WHAT IS REFERENCE?
•
Reference is the creation, management and
assessment of information resources in order to
develop services that meet people’s information
needs.
• Ready Reference is provision of quick answers
to factual questions.
• Controlled Vocabulary is a specified list of
terms developed to ensure precise and
comprehensive searching also known as subject
headings and descriptors.
OTHER REFERENCE
FUNCTIONS
•
•
•
•
Research consists of answering questions that require
multiple sources of information. This may also involve
term paper counseling, fact checking assisting with
citations
Reader’s Advisory consists of providing suggestions
and guidance in finding interesting materials for readers
in the library by finding common threads in people’s
reading interests.
Technology Assistance
Bibliographic Instruction is the development and
presentation of instructional programs designed to
teach library users how to locate the information they
need quickly and effectively.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND
ETHICS
• Be approachable, relaxed, and show an
interest in your patrons.
• Be aware of physical and
communication barriers.
• Don’t point. It’s rude.
• Remember the ALA Code of Ethics
and the Library Bill of Rights
ALA CODE OF ETHICS
• We provide the highest level of service to all
library users through appropriate and
usefully organized resources.
• We uphold the principles of intellectual
freedom and resist all efforts to censor
library resources.
• We protect each library user’s right to
privacy and confidentiality with respect to
information sought or received and
resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or
transmitted.
ALA CODE OF ETHICS
• We recognize and respect intellectual
property rights.
• We do not advance private interests at the
expense of library users, colleagues, or our
employing institutions.
• We distinguish between our personal
convictions and professional duties and do
not allow our personal beliefs to interfere
with fair representation of the aims of our
institutions or the provision of access to
their information resources.
ALA CODE OF ETHICS
• We strive for excellence in the profession by
maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge
and skills, by encouraging the professional
development of co-workers, and by fostering the
aspirations of potential members of the
profession.
ALA BILL OF RIGHTS
• A person’s right to use a library should not be
denied or a bridged because of origin, age,
background or views.
• Books and other library resources should be
provided for the interest, information, and
enlightenment of all people of the community the
library serves. Materials should not be excluded
because of the origin, background, or views of those
contributing to their creation.
THE REFERENCE INTERVIEW
What is the real need behind the patron’s first question?
“I need information on Ohio.”
1. Listen. Do not interrupt.
2. Paraphrase. Do not add interpretation or rely on
assumptions.
3. Clarify. Use open-ended questions.
4. Verify. Repeat the information the patron has given you.
5. Keep the patron informed. Let them know what you’re
doing.
6. Follow-up.
OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS
•
What have you looked at so far?
•
Where would you like to begin?
•
How did you hear about X?
•
What did your professor/boss/friend tell you
about this topic?
•
What else can you tell me about X?
•
Can you give me an example?
OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS,
CONTINUED
•
We have a lot of information about X. If you
could tell me more about how you need to use
the information, that would be great.
•
What sort of material did you have in mind?
•
What kind of help would you like?
•
What specifically were you hoping that the book
would include?
CLOSED QUESTIONS
•
Do you want X or Y?
•
Is this for a class?
•
Do you know if the article was written recently?
•
Is this for a paper?
•
Have you checked with any other libraries?
•
Do you want research articles?
WHY CAN’T PEOPLE SAY
WHAT THEY MEAN?
• Lack of Collection Knowledge
• Lack of vocabulary knowledge
• Lack of patience
• Comfort Level
• Not knowing what is needed
• Location
• Barriers: Physical, Language, Emotional, Mental
SEARCHING PROCESS
•
Determine the scope of the question.
•
Select appropriate search terms.
•
Verify factual information in the original query.
•
Identify sources of information that are
appropriate for the user within the library's print
and electronic resources.
•
Write down information while
searching/browsing.
SEARCHING
• Mentally review the sources you have on hand
• Think of yourself as a human thesaurus: Use
broader terms and synonyms to open more
areas of possible information and narrower
terms for precision searching
• Be familiar with advanced searching techniques
(wildcards, phrase searches, Boolean searching,
etc.)
SEARCHING
• Be aware of recommended websites.
• Never knock the library catalog (or MeLCat).
• Google is a search tool, and it should be used as
such, but it’s a jumping off point, not necessarily
a resource in itself.
• Referrals: Local experts, government agencies,
educational institutions, other libraries.
EXAMPLE SEARCHES
•
I need information about Ohio.
•
I need biographical information about Joseph
Henry Reason (librarian).
•
I need information about internships in
international law.
CATEGORIZING THE SEARCH
•
Time consuming or quick
•
Simple or complex
•
Current or retrospective
•
Single source or multiple source
•
User Appropriate
WHERE WILL YOU FIND IT?
•
Print / Internet / Database
•
Textual / Graphical / Statistical
•
Reference / Circulating / Children's
•
Other :)
BEING A HUMAN
THESAURUS
• Joseph Henry Reason =
• Reason, Joseph Henry
• Reason, Joseph
• Reason, J.H.
• Reason, J.
• J.H. Reason
• Joseph Reason
BEING A HUMAN
THESAURUS
• International Law Internships=
• Comparative Law Internships
• International Law Jobs
• Comparative Law Jobs
• Comparative Law Vocational Guidance
• International Law Vocational Guidance
• Global Law Vocational Guidance
BOOLEAN SEARCHING
•
AND
•
OR
•
NOT
•
“Phrase searching”
•
Truncation / wildcards *
•
(nesting)
EVALUATING SOURCES
• Accuracy: Is the material current? Unbiased?
Distinctions made between fact, theory, and
opinion?
• Scope: the depth and breadth of the material
• Authority: Who published it? What are their
qualifications?
• Age appropriateness: Vocabulary, density of text,
physical attributes
• Additional Resources: Glossary, index, table of
contents, bibliographies, etc.
THOUGHTS ON SEARCHING
• Imposed Queries – Questions asked on another's
behalf
• Precision – Getting ONLY relevant information
• Recall – Getting ALL the relevant information
• Searching vs. Browsing
• Database elements are invisible but small
variations, hyphenation, lack of punctuation, etc. can
make a huge difference in results
• Serendipitous Information – finding information
without seeking it
TYPES OF PRINT RESOURCES
• Almanac: A publication, usually issued annually, containing facts
and statistics.
• Atlas: A collection of maps.
• Bibliography:
• A list of works cited at the end of an article, book, or other
information source.
•
A book-length collection of citations published on a specific
subject.
• Dictionary: A book that gives definitions of words.
• Directory: A list of names or organizations, including contact
information.
• Encyclopedia: A work containing informational articles on a single
subject or multiple subjects, usually arranged alphabetically.
TYPES OF PRINT RESOURCES
• Gazeteer: a dictionary of geographical information and data
about places.
• Index:
• A list of names or topics usually found at the end of a
publication directing you to the pages where the names
or topics are discussed.
• A printed or electronic publication listing
references
to periodical articles or books by subject and/or author.
• Thesaurus: A book or list that shows relationships among
terms, such as broader, narrower, and related terms, synonyms
or antonyms.
• Yearbook: An annual compendium of facts and statistics from
the previous year, often limited to a specific subject.
PRINT TITLES
• Ancestry’s Red Book
• Bartlett’s Quotations
• Black’s Law Dictionary
• Bressers and Polk Directories
• Chase’s Calendar of Events
• Columbia Gazeteer
• Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast
Media
• The Handybook for Genealogists
PRINT TITLES
• Hoover’s Handbook of American Business
• Michigan Manufacturer’s Directory
• New York Public Library Desk Reference
• Places Rated Almanac
• Small Business Sourcebook
• Something About the Author
• Statesman’s Yearbook
• Statistical Abstract of the United States
VIRTUAL LIBRARIES / WEB
DIRECTORIES / SOCIAL
BOOKMARKING
MEL Databases
Index to Periodicals
Gateways
Michigana
MORE
Ready Reference
POTUS
Literary Criticism
Research and Writing
Stately Knowledge
Science Fair Information
Librarians’ Index to the Internet www.lii.org
ALA Great Websites for Kids www.ala.org/greatsites
MY PERSONAL REFERENCE
PHILOSOPHY
•
Be a human thesaurus.
•
Don't give up after your first try.
•
Don't ever knock the library catalog, even if it's wording
doesn't seem to make sense.
•
Familiarize yourself with a variety of databases. Most
databases have a similar search pattern even if the interface is
different.
•
Familiarize yourself with recommended websites.
•
Don't ever knock Google, even if you are sick of it. Browsing
through things is important for information gathering.
•
Don't worry about asking other people for help. They like it.
It makes them feel smart.
ANGELA SEMIFERO, DIRECTOR
MARSHALL DISTRICT LIBRARY
124 W. Green St.
Marshall, MI 49068
(269)781-7821x11
[email protected]