Traditional Reference Services Research Articles

Reference Services in University Libraries: the Union of Science and Education

The article discusses the main issues related to the organization of reference services in university libraries all over the world in the framework of the traditional reference bureau and virtual reference service. The implementation of the concept of digital reference service requires high professionalism, expert knowledge of digital tools and methods of working with them on the part of the staff of reference services. The development of information technologies changes the format of communication between the bibliographer and the user. Traditional reference services are complemented by specialized research assistance carried out in accordance with research practices of universities. The provision of real-time and deferred virtual reference services, digital transformation of libraries, and the involvement of catboats with artificial intelligence in reference services are current issues in library theory and practice.The turning point in the evolution of reference services has been the university libraries strategic initiative for online learning and additional professional education. Due to the increasing educational mission of university libraries in the professional library community, the role of information curator that the reference librarian can assume is being actively discussed. Reference librarians, alongside with other information professionals, shape the library’s research and educational space. The article bases on the analysis of publications in foreign professional periodicals.

Staying Afloat or Swimming with the Tide: Students’ Preference in Reference Services in a Public University Library

This study assesses students’ preference in reference services in a Ghanaian Public University Library. Adopting the survey approach, all undergraduate and postgraduate students in the university were included in the study. The findings of the study revealed that, the virtual model of reference services (chat a librarian) is highly preferred by students when seeking for assistance from the library. Additionally, the findings also disclosed that students did not face any major challenge using their preferred reference service model. Based on the findings, the study recommends that although students may have preference for a particular reference services model, libraries should not lose touch with the traditional reference service model since it complements the digital reference services.

Assessing Symbiosis between Traditional and Virtual Reference Service: An Empirical Study Based On Librarians' Perception Service: An Empirical S

Assessing Symbiosis between Traditional and Virtual Reference Service: An Empirical Study Based On Librarians' Perception Service: An Empirical S

From traditional reference service to digital reference service: transformation or succession?

From traditional reference service to digital reference service: transformation or succession?

Examining virtual reference services in academic libraries

Virtual reference services, once considered an alternative to traditional in-person reference services, are now the norm. Most academic libraries offer chat and email reference services, and many offer options for texting as well. The following articles examine many facets of virtual reference services. The results of these studies reveal the effectiveness of virtual services, how to improve them, and why users prefer one method of virtual reference services to another.

Scientometrics of the future: Scoring and profiling as new bibliometric standard tools

The purpose of this publication is to show the continuity and development of the basic ideas of bibliometrics over the past 15 years. Continuity is essential not only in preserving the subject matter, but also in personalities: Dr. Ball, the organizer of the 2003 conference, is actively pursuing research in this area and his assessments of the prospects for bibliometrics are quite reasonable and clear. Equally significant is the role of the successor of support, training and promotion work, the company Clarivate Analytics in maintaining interest in the practical results of bibliometric research. It is very important that in 2003 there were outlined the essential limitations in the possibility of using bibliometric methods for assessing the quality of research of individual scientists. These warnings are still valid today. At the same time, many of the criticisms made at that time related to the monopolistic nature of the of Thomson Reuters, which is no longer so significant, since several competing systems have appeared. In general, we can assume that bibliometrics (scientometrics) have excellent prospects. Therefore, the establishment of practical work of libraries of all types, but primarily university and scientific-technical ones, on servicing with the bibliometric data can be an interesting and useful addition to the traditional reference and information services of libraries. Original English text is at http://library.gpntb.ru/publications/scientometrics.pdf.

Converging Paths to Common Ground: a Multidisciplinary Approach to Influencing Institution Business

Modern academic libraries tend to provide services beyond traditional lending, reference, and enquiry services. Many are converged with other professional or student-focussed services such as IT, student services, academic support, or such learning resources as multimedia or print services – often co-located in space and management structure. At its optimum, this convergence can foster cross-institution working and enable Library services visibility in institution strategy alongside other business continuity services (e.g., student records, Finance, HR). Conversely, the structure could bury Library services, relegating them to the ‘always there, not a problem’ box. The visibility of Library services within the converged structure, of course, is dependent on whether the Library leader has influence at the executive table. Through the prism of the McKinsey 7S framework, this article reflects on the convergence of Library, IT, Multimedia Services including classroom management, and Print Services at SOAS University of London and examines the process of bringing together staff with varying professional identities and grades to work as a cohesive team delivering front-line, customer-focussed services. The article also reflects on how taking a multidisciplinary approach to providing institution support enabled the Customer Services and Operations (CSOps) team to influence institution strategy on space development for learning, teaching, and research support.

Branding matters: Reimagine your library services

While attending ACRL 2017 in Baltimore, I came upon a poster titled “Cultivating Curiosity: Intersecting Century-Old Services for 21st Century Impact,” which suggested that a simple rebranding of traditional reference services could markedly increase student engagement. I was intrigued by these findings but somewhat skeptical. How could such a low-cost, low-tech strategy generate such high-impact results? Thankfully, presenters Jennifer Hunter and Christina Riehman-Murphy of the Penn State University Libraries-Abington College were on hand to answer all my questions. Hunter and Riehman-Murphy outlined their program and outcomes, and they convinced me: branding matters. I left the convention center inspired, ready to bring their marketing blueprint back to Queensborough Community College (QCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY).

A Profession Without Limits: The Changing Role of Reference Librarians

ABSTRACTReference librarians, specifically those working in academic health sciences environments, have expanded their roles and taken on new and unique responsibilities. While librarians at The George Washington University’s Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library continue to provide traditional reference services, they have gone beyond their comfort zone in many cases to become involved in activities that are outside of the librarian’s established role. This article describes the current roles of Himmelfarb’s reference librarians, as well as the way these librarians prepared for these roles and addressed the associated challenges.

Book Review: Repositioning Reference: New Methods and New Services for a New Age

Repositioning Reference makes a grand statement in its title, and although it is a concise book, it delivers in providing new methods and new services for this new age. The chapters are well-organized, beginning with a historic overview of how and why reference services developed in libraries. The chapters are well documented with excellent endnotes, and the bibliography is a great resource on its own. The authors outline the reasons why traditional reference services are no longer as popular as they once were and explain what the changes in library patrons’ needs and research behavior means for current reference librarians and the evolution of reference service.

The Future of Reference Service: Treading into and Going beyond Digital Reference Service

The present paper is an endeavor to put light on the present bandwagon of digital reference service with a glimpse on the background and genesis of traditional reference service. The present online reference services include asynchronous transactions like e-mail, web forms, Ask-A type services and synchronous transactions like live chatting, video conferencing etc. Indisputably, though the method changes, the fundamental purpose of reference service remains and will remain unchanged. The digital reference process marks a line of demarcation for itself from the traditional one. However, there are some technological innovations like mobile apps, social networking, Live Chat with the online readers etc. which could rightly be said as the future of digital reference service which seem to be very beneficial for the people with special needs also.

An Evaluation of Online Reference Services Through Social Networking Sites in Selected Nigerian University Libraries

The study evaluated online reference services through social networking sites in selected university libraries in Nigeria. A survey approach was adopted to ascertain patrons’ level of awareness, their preferences, and the sources from which they were informed of the existence of the service. Findings revealed that patrons are aware that their university libraries are on social networks but are still not familiar with reference services. Facebook, Twitter, and Ask-a-Librarian were ranked as the most preferred methods for delivering online reference services, and online reference service was indicated as more convenient than traditional desk reference service because communication is available anywhere and anytime with a reference librarian and is easily accessible.

Comparison of Traditional and Digital Reference Questions and Responses at the National Library and Archives of I.R. of Iran (NLAI)

The researchers seek to assess the characteristics of users of reference services and their information needs to know how to qualitatively and quantitatively improve these types of services at the NLAI. Findings of this study indicated that the most frequently asked questions at the reference desks of the NLAI were ready reference questions (33.55 percent) and the least common questions were research-based (17.34 percent). Females (65.53 percent) mostly used traditional reference service but males (54.55 percent) used virtual reference service more. Also analysis showed that the most common and the least common question types at the traditional reference desk were ready reference (42.42 percent) and research questions (6.89 percent) respectively; and those asked through virtual reference were research (32.28 percent) and directory (20.08 percent) questions respectively. Most of the questions asked by clients of both traditional and virtual reference services could be classified in computer science, information, and general works (000) (30.58 percent) while the fewest questions were clustered in philosophy and psychology (100) (1.18 percent).

협력형 참고봉사 서비스 비교 연구 - 한국과 일본을 중심으로 -

이용자의 무관심, 대체할 수 있는 인터넷 컨텐츠의 급증으로 국내 협력형 참고봉사 서비스는 정체 상태에 빠져 있다. 특히 이용자가 스스로 탐색하여 획득 가능한 인터넷 컨텐츠의 급증은 전통적 질의-응답 방식의 참고봉사 서비스의 기능과 본질에 대한 재검토와 더불어, 신뢰할 수 있는 지식베이스의 구축이라는 참고봉사의 간접서비스 영역에 대한 중요성을 새롭게 조명하고 있다. 본 연구는 간접서비스 위주의 협력을 추구하는 있는 일본 도서관들의 협력형 참고봉사 서비스를 심층 조사하고 이를 비교 분석하여, 한국의 협력형 참고봉사 서비스의 새로운 도약 가능성을 조망해 본다.

Roaming Reference: Reinvigorating Reference through Point of Need Service

Roaming reference service was pursued as a way to address declining reference statistics. The service was staffed by librarians armed with iPads over a period of six months during the 2010-2011 academic year. Transactional statistics were collected in relation to query type (Research, Facilitative or Technology), location and approach (librarian to patron, patron to librarian or via chat widget). Overall, roaming reference resulted in an additional 228 reference questions, 67% (n=153) of which were research related. Two iterations of the service were implemented, roaming reference as a standalone service (Fall 2010) and roaming reference integrated with traditional reference desk duties (Winter 2011). The results demonstrate that although the Weller Library’s reference transactions are declining annually, they are not disappearing. For a roaming reference service to succeed, it must be a standalone service provided in addition to traditional reference services. The integration of the two reference models (roaming reference and reference desk) resulted in a 56% decline in the total number of roaming reference questions from the previous term. The simple act of roaming has the potential to reinvigorate reference services as a whole, forcing librarians outside their comfort zones, allowing them to reach patrons at their point of need.

Eliminating traditional reference services in an academic health sciences library: a case study

How were traditional librarian reference desk services successfully eliminated at one health sciences library? The analysis was done at an academic health sciences library at a major research university. A gap analysis was performed, evaluating changes in the first eleven months through analysis of reference transaction and instructional session data. Substantial increases were seen in the overall number of specialized reference transactions and those conducted by librarians lasting more than thirty minutes. The number of reference transactions overall increased after implementing the new model. Several new small-scale instructional initiatives began, though perhaps not directly related to the new model. Traditional reference desk services were eliminated at one academic health sciences library without negative impact on reference and instructional statistics. Eliminating ties to the confines of the physical library due to staffing reference desk hours removed one significant barrier to a more proactive liaison program.

Creating a Digital Reference Agenda for Academic Libraries in Jamaica: An Exploratory Case Study

Digital reference service (DRS) has its origin in the early 1980s and as subsequently become a ubiquitous feature of the twenty-first century library. With approximately 50% of academic libraries in the United States of America providing digital reference service, this case study examined the service offered at the Syracuse University. The paper seeks to present the findings of an exploratory research that was undertaken during the period October to December 2009. The objectives of the study were to identify the various models of DRS, determine the issues that librarians need to consider when offering DRS and to analyze the students' perceptions of the service at Syracuse University. An online survey was administered to the students at the School of Information to determine their perception of the service provided by the Bird Library and its implications for libraries in Jamaica. A total of 53 respondents participated. The results showed that DRS augments the traditional reference service and that students believe that DRS enhances their learning. The results have implications for those libraries in Jamaica considering implementing such an initiative.

The paradox of expertise: is the Wikipedia Reference Desk as good as your library?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of answers on the Wikipedia Reference Desk, and to compare it with library reference services. It aims to examine whether Wikipedia volunteers outperform expert reference librarians and exemplify the paradox of expertise.Design/methodology/approachThe study applied content analysis to a sample of 434 messages (77 questions and 357 responses) from the Wikipedia Reference Desk and focused on three SERVQUAL quality variables: reliability (accuracy, completeness, verifiability), responsiveness, and assurance.FindingsThe study reports that on all three SERVQUAL measures quality of answers produced by the Wikipedia Reference Desk is comparable with that of library reference services.Research limitations/implicationsThe collaborative social reference model matched or outperformed the dyadic reference interview and should be further examined theoretically and empirically. The generalizability of the findings to other similar sites is questionable.Practical implicationsLibrarians and library science educators should examine the implications of the social reference on the future role of reference services.Originality/valueThe study is the first to: examine the quality of the Wikipedia Reference Desk; extend research on Wikipedia quality; use SERVQUAL measures in evaluating Q&A sites; and compare Q&A sites with traditional reference services.

Reference Services in Australian Academic Libraries are Becoming More Multifaceted

Reference Services in Australian Academic Libraries are Becoming More Multifaceted

Academic Library Manager's Forms, Policies, and Procedures Handbook with CD-ROM

Writing library policies and procedures can often be a thankless task. Rulemaking often arises in reaction to a specific situation. Someone says, “We need a policy,” then whatever is drafted has to be acceptable to and enforceable with library staff and users. How many of us have participated in passionate staff debates over a proposed library policy that is put in place, then quickly forgotten or not enforced uniformly? (Think food and drink policies.) Yet we cannot get away from the need for rules to effectively run library operations. Into this arena steps Rebecca Brumley. After writing a similar book for public libraries, she has turned her attention to academic institutions with the Academic Library Manager's Forms, Policies, and Procedures Handbook with CD-ROM. Brumley draws on documents from a full range of academic institutions, from community colleges to large research universities. As she states in the preface, Brumley reviewed thousands of documents to publish more than 600 policies, procedures, and forms on more than 300 different topics (p. xix). Brumley has organized the documents into twelve sections and further subdivided them into forty-four chapters covering almost every library operational area. The sections headings are: administrative policies and guidelines, facilities and equipment, collection development, traditional reference service, virtual reference service, circulation, government documents, legal and ethical concerns, information literacy and library instruction, interlibrary loan and document delivery, Internet and electronic resources, and university repositories. The table of contents and detailed index facilitate access to the content. Brumley also provides a list of web links to documents from contributing libraries. The main utility of the book is found in the accompanying CD, which provides all the content of the printed text, plus additional documents that were not printed. The table of contents provides the primary means of navigation, with each chapter a searchable portable document format (PDF) file. Another benefit of the CD is that readers can easily use the web links provided in the list of contributing libraries. Opening the CD is accomplished without difficulty using a PC laptop or MacBook. Chapters can be easily downloaded, the text cut and pasted into Microsoft Word, and then formatted and edited accordingly. As noted, the book covers all the obvious operational areas, along with some more unusual ones. The policy on “fragrance use” is of interest, and the sentence, “The Library Staff has the responsibility to intervene courteously, but firmly, when the use of chemical scents interferes with the rights of others” is amusing (p. 47). The policy does not state how library staff are supposed to handle those who may be “naturally” odoriferous. While this publication certainly provides plenty for the reader to review and consider, its usefulness can be debated. The closest similar publications are the MLA DocKits 〈http://www.mlanet.org/publications/dockits/〉. One might consider Brumley's work a super DocKit. Documents from only two academic health sciences libraries are included, although that is not necessarily a disadvantage, as the book provides a larger context for managers at academic health sciences and larger hospital libraries to pull ideas and wording for their documentation. It would have been useful if Brumley had provided more specifics on the criteria she used to select documents. Also, if the book were more of a handbook, with information and commentary on how to successfully identify, draft, implement, and review procedures, policies, and forms in an academic context, it might have more relevance. All that said, it is a book worth noting. If you find yourself often trolling online for policies and procedures to use at your institution, and no DocKit covers the topic, you may find the documents or operational areas addressed by the book of interest.