Page 46 - DLIS105_REFERENCE_SOURCES_AND_SERVICES

Unit 3: Reference Services

The librarian who staffs the reference desk can usually do the following by virtue of her professional Notes
training and experience:
• The librarian can look up a brief, factual answer to a specific question.
• The librarian can use the catalogue to find out whether the library owns an item with a par-
ticular title or author, or that contains a short story, chapter, song, or poem with a particular
title, or to compile a list of books by a particular author or on a particular subject.
• The librarian can briefly teach the user how to use the catalogue and how to use its advanced
features, or recommend the proper subject words or terms that are used in the catalogue for
the topic the user has in mind.
• The librarian can often take the library user directly to the shelves with books on a certain
topic without using the catalogue.
• The librarian is familiar with the contents of hundreds of reference books, and can recom-
mend books that might contain the answer to a particular question.
• The librarian can teach the library user to use online databases such as magazine and news-
paper articles, and recommend words and search strategies for the topic the user has in mind.
• The librarian can recommend reliable web sites, give advice on searching the Internet for
information, and evaluate the reliability of the information on web sites.
• If the library does not have information on a given topic, or if the library user wants more
information, the librarian can refer the library user to another library or to an organization
that can be contacted by phone or e-mail.

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:
8. A reference librarian diagnoses and treats information deficiencies.
9. A reference librarian should keep handy index cards related to frequently asked questions.
10. There are two kinds of reference services.
11. The library reference desk of a library is not a public service.
12. A reference librarian can also play a role in developing library collections.

Electronic reference services

With the development of the Web, digital reference services are beginning to take over some of the
roles of the traditional reference desk in a library. There is disagreement over whether or not this
development is desirable or inevitable.

Staff qualifications

A reference librarian provides assistance to users of a library who need help locating resources and
information. This job requires excellent customer service skills as well as familiarity with research
and the ability to answer challenging questions from patrons who may be searching for obscure
and unusual things. Reference librarians must hold a master of library science (MLS) degree and
may have additional certifications and qualifications, depending on where they work.
The hub of the reference librarian’s workplace is the reference desk, an area that members of the
public can approach for information and assistance. The reference desk has resources like computers
and connections to the catalogues along with references the staff uses frequently, like maps of the

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