Reference Observation 1

Reference Observation Library 525 Library Information Retrieval and Reference Services Azusa Pacific University Julie Ridley ay 2!" 2#12

Reference Observation 2 I observed $ancy" a Librarian %it& a 'ublic library branc& in San (rancisco) asters in Library Information Science" at a

y son ta*es 'iano lessons across t&e street from

t&is 'articular branc&" so my dau+&ter and I visit t&is branc& on a %ee*ly basis) It is a uni,ue branc& because t&e reference des* is situated in t&e middle of t&e library" %it& t&e adult and teen boo*s on one side and t&e c&ildren-s section on t&e ot&er) .&is is t&e main reason %&y I c&ose to observe t&e reference des* at t&is branc&) I %anted to observe reference ,uestions for all sections of t&e library) $ancy %as very o'en" *ind and %illin+ to let me observe &er at t&e reference des*) /&en I met &er in 'erson and as*ed if it %ould be 'ossible to observe &er" s&e sc&eduled me in &er calendar and made me feel li*e s&e %as e0cited for me to return to observe and tal* %it& &er some more) /&en I arrived at my sc&eduled day and time" s&e &ad a c&air %aitin+ for me ne0t to &ers at t&e reference des*) S&e recently finis&ed &er de+ree in 2##1 from San Jose State and &as been at t&is branc& for a little less t&an a year) Previously" s&e %or*ed at a branc& in t&e 'oorest nei+&bor&ood in San (rancisco" 2ayvie%34unter-s Point) .&ey are re5 buildin+ t&at library currently" and s&e %as fortunate to +et anot&er 6ob at t&is branc&) /e &ad an interestin+ conversation about t&e differences in reference %or* and t&e varyin+ needs of t&e 'atrons at t&e t%o branc&es) I found $ancy to be very a''roac&able) S&e e0&ibited many 'ositive verbal and non5 verbal cues to 'ut 'atrons at ease and to ma*e t&em feel %elcome) S&e %as very a%are of 'atrons a''roac&in+ t&e des*) S&e &ad t&e most amazin+ %ay of loo*in+ directly at me and tal*in+ %it& me or c&ec*in+ in %it& &er com'uter" but s&e also *ne% e0actly %&en someone %as a''roac&in+ t&e des* at t&e same time) S&e %ould establis& eye contact %it& &er 'atrons

Reference Observation ! and +enuinely smile at t&em) S&e said &ello to everyone t&at loo*ed &er %ay) S&e even +reeted t%o of &er visitin+ youn+ 'atrons by t&eir names) At one 'oint" s&e +ot u' to loo* for a boo* for a c&ild" and I observed &er +lance bac* at t&e reference des* to c&ec* bac* to see if ot&er 'atrons %ere %aitin+ for &el') I also observed $ancy e0&ibitin+ +ood communication s*ills durin+ t&e reference intervie%) S&e truly listened to &er 'atron-s needs) I %itnessed &er re'&rase &er 'atron ,uestions in every interaction s&e &ad) I %as 'articularly im'ressed %it& t&e %ay s&e dealt %it& an 11 or 12 year old boy %&o in,uired about &o% &e can volunteer to &el' %it& t&e c&ildren-s summer readin+ 'ro+ram) 4e %as nervous initially and %as &avin+ a &ard time +ettin+ out %&at &e %anted to say) 4is mom %as %aitin+ for &im in t&e car" so &e %as on &is o%n) 2ut" alon+ %it& &er smile and attentiveness" $ancy-s ability to listen to t&e boy" clarify and re'&rase %&at &e %as tryin+ to say" %as amazin+) In 5 to 1# minutes" I observed t&e boy a''roac& t&e des* nervously and s&yly" but leave %it& confidence and 'ride) Lastly" I observed &er follo%5u' %it& &er 'atrons) One e0am'le of t&is is %&en a 'arent came in and as*ed for a flyer of t&e calendar of events &a''enin+ in t&e mont& of June) $ancy informed t&e %oman t&at t&e calendar %as not available yet) 2ut" s&e e0'lained t&at it %ould be available s&ortly) S&e advised t&e %oman to come bac* ne0t %ee* and 'ic* u' a co'y of t&e flyer or to access t&e calendar online %it& t&e directions t&at $ancy &anded to &er) .&e lady t&an*ed &er and %ent bac* to loo*in+ for boo*s %it& &er dau+&ter in t&e

c&ildren-s section) $ancy t&en e0cused &erself from t&e des* and %al*ed over to a cu'board" o'ened it and 'ulled out a lar+e 'oster board) On it" %ere t&e events sc&eduled for t&e mont& of June) S&e %al*ed over to t&e %oman and s&o%ed it to &er) S&e said t&at it %as not

Reference Observation 7 com'lete" but t&at s&e %as %elcome to see %&at t&ey &ad sc&eduled so far) .&e %oman %as so +lad and t&an*ful) S&e +ot a 'iece of 'a'er and a 'encil and %rote do%n a cou'le of events t&at s&e did not %ant to miss) I truly en6oyed my time at t&e reference des* %it& $ancy) In t&e 1# minutes I s'ent %it& &er" I %itnessed many RUSA +uidelines in action) It %as a %onderful learnin+ e0'erience)