DEVELOPING AND MANAGING
REFERENCE SERVICES (RS)
• Reference Section – assist individual
users to access information in the
library’s collection and services;
answers inquiries
CATEGORIES OF RS
• Information Service – finding the
information they need.
• Instruction – teach how to use the
library resources
• User Guidance – guide the user’s on
how to select their resources
TYPES OF REFERENCE SERVICE
• Direct reference – personal
assistance provided to the library’s
client
• Indirect Reference – the
preparation and development of
the system, cataloging
Reference Activities
• Search Service – help the patrons
the easiest way to find info
• User guidance/orientation – orient
patrons on how to use the library
• Digital Reference Service –
questions asked digitally
• FAQs – retrieval of answers wo
the help of librarians
• Selective Dissemination of
Information
• Bibliographic Service
• Loan and Documentary delivery
service – lending of documents or
books digitally or physically
• Current Awareness Service –
informing clients of new info
available in the library
MODELS OF RS
• Traditional – serves user at the
reference desk; answers query and
recommendation; staff-one service
point (pro); serves the ones who
come to the desk (con)
• Reference Consultation – answers
complex questions through
consultation; librarians for complex
question (pro); limits the no of users
that are served (con)
• Tiered – info desk, gen ref desk, and
consultation service; same pro as ref
consult; training staff to do referrals
and limits the users being served
(con)
• Team Staffing – librarian and
paraprofessional work together;
librarian avail to answer difficult
questions (pro); paraprofessional
need to make good recommendation
to librarian (con)
• Integrated Service Point –
integration of reference and
circulation desk; only one point of
service for users (pro); requires on
going training staff (con)
• Roving – librarians circulate
throughout the service area; reaches
users who didn’t approach the desk
(pro); additional staff (con)
• Virtual – answer qs through e-mail
and chat; assistance to those who
can’t go to the library (pro); tech
difficulties (con)
• Outreach – go to diff depts or orgs;
reach diff people (pro); add staff
(con)
SEARCH STRATEGY
• Process of finding answers in the
easiest and effective way
STEPS
1. Clarifying the problem – know
the problem and the user
2. Selecting the materials –
appropriation of the materials to
the problem
 3. Prioritizing the sources –
prioritize the best sources for the
client
4. Locating the sources
5. Evaluating the process – do they
need more info or refer to
another professional?
6. Compiling and presenting info
Prime Sources of Info
• Library Catalogue – info found in the
library
• Ref Collection – factual info
• General Collection – periodicals,
serials
• Databases and networks – EBSCO
• People – questions can only be
answered by other professionals or
experts on the subject; referrals
• Other libraries and agencies
REFERENCE DEPT COMPETENCIES
• Competencies – building blocks
representing the core understanding
and capabilities required of an
effective ref dept leader
Competencies
• Create and communicate a vision,
mission and goals – where they see
the lib in the future (vision), how to
get to the goal of the library
(mission); use SMART (goals)
• Creating and maintaining a positive
and nurturing workplace climate and
culture – non-threatening,
supporting, and safe environment;
HEART (look in the handout!)
• Setting expectations – employees’
awareness on the policies and rules;
develop an employee manual; give
and receive feedback
• Being task-centered and employee-
centered – organizing and setting
the time standard (task); trust,
respect, and concern for the staff
(employee)
• Motivating – make staff feel good
and give recognition
• Delegating – encourages
competency of the staff; delegating
assignments based on the staff’s
competencies
• Communicating – identifying
requests and interpret the need of
the client and staff; regular staff
meeting
• Staffing – hiring and training staff
well; know the job description
What librarian should do:
• Continue to do collection
development
• Do more information literacy
instruction both one-top one and in
groups
• Develop their reader’s advisory skills
to provide more personalized service
to their users
• Learn more about marketing
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES FOR
REFERENCE AND USER LIBRARIANS
• Reference and User librarians –
assist, advise, and instruct users on
accessing the lib materials
• Competencies – behaviors that
excellent performers exhibit
• Strategies – specific plan that
excellent performers typically
employ
COMPETENCIES
• Access – provide info that users
need (responsiveness);
▪ effectively designs and
organizes services to meet the
need of the user (organization
and design service);
 ▪ provide high quality service by ▪ info service (assess the
analyzing the info sources and effectiveness of info service);
services (critical thinking and ▪ information resources (assess
analysis) and evaluates resources in
• Knowledge Base – environmental terms of objectiveness and
scanning (monitors relevant info to need of user);
routinely update the service); ▪ service delivery (evaluates
▪ application of knowledge new or existing service for a
(utilizes new knowledge to match);
enhance the service and ▪ info interfaces (evaluates
practice); format, access, and
▪ dissemination of knowledge presentation aspect of
(shares expertise to colleagues resources);
and mentor staff); ▪ Information service providers
▪ active learning (actively (effectively identifies and
improving professional practice) employs evaluation techniques)
• Marketing/Awareness/Informing –
assessment (conduct research to
know what type of reference service
and clients the library has);
▪ communication and outreach
(effectively communicate the
nature of ref and info service);
▪ evaluation (systematically and
consistently evaluates the
effectiveness of the marketing
of ref and info service)
• Collaboration – relationship w
users (treat users as a collaborator
and partner);
▪ relationship w colleagues
(work closely with colleagues to
provide quality service);
▪ relationship w/in the
profession (collaborative
relationship within the
profession to enhance service
NETWORKING);
▪ relationships beyond the
library and the profession
(develops and maintains
partnerships to strengthen
services to users)
• Evaluation and Assessment of
Resources and Services – user
needs (uses tools and techniques to
users);