The Reading Hall of Bibliographic Services of the Russian State Library: Model of Service

Abstract

Escalating competition in the information services market, the emergence of the effect of a shortage of users and simultaneous increase of their expectations put the libraries in front of the need to search for innovative approaches to servicing, which is manifested, in particular, in conducting structural and functional transformation of library services. The author considers the model of reference and bibliographic services using the example of work of the Reading Hall of Bibliographic Services of the Russian State Library. Its main characteristics are: complex servicing of readers with reference and bibliographic resources; expanding range of information services, the use of methods of personalization in service (customer-oriented). For many years, the reference and bibliographic service in the form of oral inquiries in the Russian State Library was developed on the basis of service differentiation — sector-specific and functional. The new model is based on a complementary and mutually enriching mixture of functional and sectoral areas of this type of activity. Important conditions for enhancing the effectiveness of reference and bibliographic services are the spatiotemporal concentration of services and combination of the resource elements. Universalization and personalization of services, creative approach of staff of the Reading Hall of Bibliographic Services to their work, sincere desire to help readers in their search for information yield positive results.