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Reference Sources Lec 4

The document discusses the functions and types of reference services provided by librarians. It begins by outlining the basic functions of reference librarians as teaching users how to use the library, answering questions, and aiding in book selection. It then discusses current reference functions like assistance, instruction, and information provision. The main types of reference services are identified as readers' advisory, research consulting, subject specializing, bibliographic verification, interlibrary loan, instruction, literacy programs, and outreach/marketing.

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47 views12 pages

Reference Sources Lec 4

The document discusses the functions and types of reference services provided by librarians. It begins by outlining the basic functions of reference librarians as teaching users how to use the library, answering questions, and aiding in book selection. It then discusses current reference functions like assistance, instruction, and information provision. The main types of reference services are identified as readers' advisory, research consulting, subject specializing, bibliographic verification, interlibrary loan, instruction, literacy programs, and outreach/marketing.

Uploaded by

maahiaqsa91
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( Reference Sources)

LECTURE 4
Basic functions of reference librarian
▪Teach people how to use the library and its resources.
▪Answer readers’ questions.
▪Aid the reader in the selection of good books.
▪Promote the library within the community.

(Green, 1876)
Functions of reference librarian today
With changes in technology and the continuing diversity of library users, what is
reference like now?
▪Surprisingly (or perhaps not), the actual functions of the reference librarian
have changed very little over the years.
▪ Assistance and instruction (formal or informal) in the use of the library.
▪ Assistance in the identification and selection of books, journals, and other
materials relevant to a particular information need.
▪ Provision of brief, factual information of the “ready reference” variety.
(Galvin, Thomas)
Reference Transactions
Information consultations in which library staff
recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information
resources to help others to meet particular information needs.
▪Reference Work
Reference transactions and other activities that involve the
creation, management, and assessment of information or
research resources, tools, and services.
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
Types of reference services
Within these philosophies and functions of the reference librarian following are the main types
of RS:

▪Readers Advisory
▪The process of recommending sources to library users.
▪A readers’ advisor recommends specific titles and/or authors, based on
knowledge of the patron’s past reading preferences, and may also compile lists
of recommended titles.
▪Any reference librarian who recommends sources based on the user’s needs is
in fact doing readers’ advisory service.
types
▪Research Consulting
▪ Assisting users with research questions is an important aspect of reference
service.
▪ In this case, the librarian may suggest sources, search terms, and pathways
that will lead to material relevant to the research project.
▪ These questions do not have single, factual answers but have many possible
results that vary depending on the researcher’s interests and needs.
▪ To find out what aspects of the problem the user is interested in and to
suggest possible search strategies that will lead the user toward the best
solution
types
▪Subject Specialists
▪ Some large libraries hire librarians to be specialists in a specific subject field or
discipline.
▪ Librarians immerse themselves in the subject area, usually selecting materials
for the collection as well as assisting users with specialized research.
▪Covering most common in areas that society sees as requiring more specialized
knowledge to succeed, such as law, medicine, the sciences, and business.
▪ Most often found in academic libraries, large public libraries, and special
libraries.
types
▪Bibliographic Verification and Citation
▪The process of reading, identifying, and interpreting citations to information
sources.
▪As information becomes more and more complex, verification is a growing
activity for reference librarians.
▪This is the primary activity of interlibrary loan librarians, whose entire
operation depends on citations.
▪A newer function related to bibliographic verification is helping users to
correctly cite the information sources that they have used
types
▪ Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery
▪The process of sharing material between libraries.
▪A common service in most libraries of all types because it extends
the range of material available to users beyond the home library’s
collection.
▪ Interlibrary loan librarians spend a lot of time doing bibliographic
verification.
types
▪ Instruction
▪ Instruction tends to take two forms: direct and indirect.
▪Direct instruction is characterized by the librarian communicating directly to
the user and is delivered through any of a number of channels.
▪ In indirect instruction, the librarian does not communicate directly with the
user, but communicates through instructional tools.
▪ In order to assist users with common problems, librarians write guides or
pathfinders that describe how and where to approach various research
problems.
types
▪Literacy Programs
▪To providing resources for the literate segment of society, libraries have
continued to play a role in education itself.
▪Many librarians conduct literacy programs that are designed to teach reading
skills to those members of the community who have not acquired such skills
through other channels.
▪Literacy programs are most common in public libraries.
▪These programs continue the historic role of the public library in educating
members of the communities that they serve.
types
▪Outreach and Marketing
▪ PR is as important in today’s libraries as it was never before.
▪ Academic and public libraries frequently have staff whose primary
responsibility is to work with specific segments of the community to increase
library awareness and use within those populations.
▪ In the academic environment, the library may target outreach efforts at
specific disciplines or departments, or toward specific types of users, such as
faculty or graduate students.
▪ In public libraries, outreach is often directed at segments of the community,
such as teens, senior citizens, minorities, or members of clubs or interest
groups.

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