Reference Interaction process
Greeting
Initial Inquiry
Open questions
Closed question
Paraphrasing
Searching
Communicating
results
Follow-ups
Closing
Opening the Interview
1.Approachability
a. First impressions are said to be lasting ones
b. Smile
c. Sorry to bother you
2.Greeting
a. How can I help you?
b. Ill be with you soon
3.Interest
a. Librarian should react the same way as when listening
to a friend.
b. Librarian should be sure not to leave the user hanging.
c. The Librarian should not give impression that she or he
has given up or gone away.
4.Body Language
a. Body language Can go a long way toward
communicating an openness and willingness to listen to
a users query.
b. eye level and simple thing such as taking fingers off
the computer keyboard or putting down a held pencil
can also reduce the distractions perceived by the user.
5.Question Negotiation
a. The questioning process seeks to the elicit the
users question in his or her own words.
b. Make information available that the librarian need
to understand the inquiry to an extent that enables
effective searching and accurate provision of
information.
c. Verify that the librarian and user share the same
understanding of the information need.
6.Open question
a. Open question is one to which is there is no fixed
answer.
b. it cannot be answered with yes or no.
c. Open questions seek to elicit descriptive answers
and typically begin with what, when,where and
how.
7.Close question
a. Close questions ask for a yes or no response or
present the user with options from which to
choose.
b. Close question tend to focus narrowly and distinctly
on a particular subject or source and help further
the librarians understanding of the users
information need.
Ex.
Do you need books or magazines and journal articles?
Are you looking for current or historical information?
Do you want advanced material or something basic?
8.Neutral questioning
a. When direct questions might offend the users.
b. Neutral questions strive to get the user to talk more fully
about the information need.
9.Encouraggers
a. Noncommittal acknowledgements of the what is saying
indicate that one is listening and seems to encourage
the user.
Question such as
Can you tell me more about this topic? and even short
questions such as Yes or Okay what else can be very
effective ways getting the user to further explain the
question .
10.Language
a. Librarians have the responsibility to use clear
language
b. Dina Cramer further suggest that librarians not to
use the word citation because to the user it might
refer to a traffic ticket.
11.Active Listening
a. Active listening involves not only paraphrasing but
also asking clarifying questions and understanding
the nature of the problem fully before attempting to
assist with the users information need .
12.Searching
a. It is important not to start searching too early in the
interview process.
b. In may lead to frustration.
c. Once the search process has been started the
librarian can continue to ask questions refining the
what the users want and adjusting the search
strategy accordingly.
13.Involving the user
One of the most effective ways to involve the users is to
work along side them at the table with reference book or
at the computer with access to the librarys data base.
14.Presentation of answer
a. When the question has definite factual answer , the
answer should be given to the user and a source for
the information provided.
b. When providing information , it is important to cite the
source.
c. Lastly verify the answer matches the scope of the users
question and that the level or amount of information
given is what was desired.
15.Closing
Librarian : Does this information answer your
question?
User : Yes I think this is good for now.
Librarian : Great if you think anything else just ask.
User : Okay.Thanks!
