The Reference Interview
When I was looking for articles about references or reference services, I spent many days looking for an appropriate article. I was having trouble because I was not exactly sure what I was looking for. First, I went to the Ebsco online database. I typed in all kinds of terms using Boolean logic, such as "references," "reference services," AND "librarian," AND "schools," AND "information literacy," etc. I was having a difficult time finding just the right article. Almost everyone has experienced this kind of uncertainty and frustration when initiating a research project (Kuhlthau's Information Seeking Process, p. 9). I went to the public library and talked to the teen librarian. Help!!! She suggested I look up how to select good resources. No, I did not want to write about selection of resources. This project is due in a week and I am starting to panic. So, I go to the College. I sit down at a computer and start my research. Normally, someone comes over and asks me if I am finding what I am looking for, the real reason I am at the College and not searching on my computer at home. No one comes over this time. After reading many articles, I finally find the perfect title: "The Reference Interview: Theories and Practice," I remember that this is a topic that is coming up in lesson five of the course and someone mentioned the reference interview when we looked at definitions (Manjit Boota). I have not read lesson five as of yet; however, I find this article interesting because it relates to one of Riedling's components of successful reference services for the school library media specialist that I would like to improve on: "effective conversational skills (communication)" (p. 4). I am totally engrossed in my reading and thinking about how I can apply this information to my library when the librarian walks up to me and asks: "Do you realize that you have been on the computer for almost an hour and a half? That is an hour past the half hour you are allowed to use the computers before we start charging a fee." I ask her if I can email the article to myself (I didn't know if I needed a certain password to use the online databases from the College). She points at the email icon on my screen and walks away. I email the article to myself, collect my belongings, and I ask, "How much for the extra hour?" She said, "Don't worry about it now." I said, "Thank you," and left. Normally, I would not have thought another thing about this confrontation; however, I was just reading about the reference interview.... According to Stephanie Brown's article, "The Reference Interview: Theories and Practice," the librarian at the College could have handled this situation a lot differently.
"One of the primary functions as a school library media specialist is to assist students in the use of the library and its collections" (Riedling, p. 91). According to Stephanie Brown, there are many examples of questions and it is up to the teacher-librarian to "translate the patron's question into one that can be answered" (p 1). "Regardless of patron or library type, you would approach each patron the same way, although you would provide them with different kinds of materials" (p. 1). Brown's example concerning a question about finding information about breast cancer is a perfect illustration of the many approaches to just one topic. Depending on who is asking the question, there are several different answers to an inquiry about breast cancer. For example, the teacher-librarian would provide or guide the patron to the different types of information sources if the person is in the medical field, or if the person is a student in a Health class, or if the person is a survivor of breast cancer (p.2). Time is another element when considering a patron's request (p. 2). Many students write a research paper the night before and possibly do not get the best resources because he or she must make do with what is readily available at the moment; however, the teacher-librarian will direct someone who is working on a dissertation to many resources and databases. (p. 2). In fact, in my case, I did not ask the librarian any questions and she did not approach me for an hour and a half.
Communication is an important component of the teacher-librarian's success in helping the person answer their questions. Brown asks us to consider the patron's "real question" and uses another good example to get her point across. For example, if someone vaguely remembers an article in a Time magazine and asks a question about information on the "war in Iraq" (p. 2), there could be many possible answers to this question. The person could be mistaken concerning the title of the magazine, not quite sure about the volume or issue, or maybe the professor wants the student to use journals and not popular magazines. The student may have trouble "articulating precisely what he needs" (p. 3). It is the job of the teacher-librarian to ask "clarifying questions" during a reference interview. The Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS) defines "reference interview" as
"The interpersonal communication that occurs between a reference librarian and a library user to determine the person's specific information need(s), which may turn out to be different than the reference question as initially posed. Because patrons are often reticent, especially in face-to-face interaction, patience and tact may be required on the part of the librarian. A reference interview may occur in person, by telephone, or electronically (usually via email) at the request of the user, but a well-trained reference librarian will sometimes initiate communication if a hesitant user appears to need assistance." (Reitz, 2007).
Consequently, the opportunity of having a reference interview and saving time--the half hour instead of an hour and a half--were lost during my visit to the College library (No blame here because I did not ask a question in the first place.).
Brown lists the five important elements, or stages, of the reference interview from "Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers"created and updated by The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association:
1. Approachability
2. Interest
3. Listening / Inquiring
4. Searching
5. Follow up
The key points are to make sure that we do not appear too busy to help our patrons(p.3), appear interested in the question that the patron asks (p. 4), ask clarifying questions and listen to the responses (p. 4), search (p. 4), and follow up (p. 5). I know that I am guilty of appearing too busy and must constantly remind myself to pay attention to what is going on around me. It is quite amazing that I can tune out everyone and everything in such a busy place when I am working on a task. I am working on being more aware of my surroundings when I am busy. I do not feel that my trip to the College was a successful reference interview in any way.
Brown suggests another way to provide reference services is the "roving" reference(p. 5). The librarian approaches the patron. I like this method because students do not always want to approach the librarian for help. Possibly, they might feel as though they are interupting the librarian. I know I felt that I did not want to interupt the librarian at the College; however, if either one of us approached the other, we would have saved a lot of time and still found appropriate resources. I know that I want to be more pro-active in approaching students and helping with the answers to their questions.
In conclusion, it is very ironic that I found this article about the reference interview just before the College librarian approached me. This article indicates that it is crucial to have a positive, welcoming approach to one's patrons, have an interest in the person and what they have to say, have excellent questioning skills, know the collection well, so ythe TL can show the person to the right resources in order to answer their question, and follow up in case the person needs further help or information. We want the person to leave the library satisfied with their learning process.
References
Brown, Stephanie W. "The Reference Interview: Theories and Practice" from Ebsco Online. February 2008. Accessed from Library Philosophy and Practice on 26/1/10.
This article has also been published in the journal Biblioletra, published by the National and University Library of Kosova.
Reitz, Joan M. "Reference Interview" from the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS). updated 17 November 2007. Accessed from Libraries Unlimited on 26/1/10 at http://lu.com/odlis/search.cfm.
Riedling, Ann. Reference Skills for the School Library Media Specialist: Tools and Tips, 2nd Edition. (2005). Worthington, Ohio: Linworth Books.
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I like how you paralleled your experience at the college with the article! The reference interview is, at heart, a complex dance between the librarian and the patron... at the elementary level, we're often not self-aware of any sort of process (but my TA often comments how amazed she is with how much information I "extract" from the students!). At the secondary/ post-secondary level, it is much more pronounced I find, since the information the students are seeking is more complex. It really does help to keep in mind the basic steps of a reference interview that Brown lists.
ReplyDeleteHere's a thought re: your experience at the college: it could be quite possible that the person monitoring the computers was not a professional librarian. Library techs are not permitted to conduct reference interviews in libraries. In academic libraries, the professional and para-professional positions are quite stratified. Of course, if the person monitoring the computers is the librarian on a REFERENCE desk shift, then you are quite correct in your assessment: she could have done a MUCH better job!