Page 47 - DLIS105_REFERENCE_SOURCES_AND_SERVICES

Reference Sources and Services

Notes area, dictionaries, and so forth. People can ask the librarian for help finding information, or may
have orientation of the library to learn how to use the resources , and other assistance.
Many reference librarians teach classes to members of the public, showing them how to use library
resources and providing them with some basic research tips and tricks. On college campuses, the
librarian may be very active during orientation week, working with students to help them get familiar
with the library. Librarians also provide assistance with using technical resources like microfilm
machines, copiers, and so forth and may troubleshoot Internet access in the library and other problems
patrons experience.
A reference librarian can also play a role in developing library collections. Librarians need to know
the stock of the library well so they can help people more effectively, and they usually identify
weak points and holes in the collection as part of their work. They can make recommendations for
new acquisitions and will work with the collections manager on determining what kinds of resources
would be most useful for library patrons. These can include books, movies, tapes, music, and other
acquisitions.
Working as a reference librarian requires excellent communications skills. Patrons may have vague
and unfocused requests that the reference librarian must be able to accurately interpret. Librarians
usually want to show patrons how to help themselves in addition to providing information, so
patrons will feel more confident in the library, and this requires learning about different
communication styles to effectively connect with patrons. One useful skill for people in this position
is the “reference interview,” where the librarian asks a series of questions to find out what a patron
needs and selects the most appropriate and useful resources.
In the United States, those who staff library reference desks are usually required to have an accred-
ited Masters degree in Library Science from the American Library Association. However, if there is a
lack of qualified applicants, particularly in rural areas of the country, a person with an Associate
Degree, a Certificate in Library Technology, or a Bachelors Degree in Library Science may be per-
forming these duties. In many academic libraries, student assistants are used as the primary contact,
sometimes at an “information desk.”

Study the working of reference desk in the library of your university or any research
institution.

3.6 Summary

• A process in which readers receive their information through personal contact of the reference
librarian is called ready reference service. There are many types of queries.
• Reference service is an essential service as sometimes reader needs some informations which
are not known to them and are not related to their concerned books. Sometimes readers are
not aware of reference books and references services/sources, which are also arranged
differently and not known properly to the readers.
• The reference desk or information desk of a library is a public service counter where
professional librarians provide library users with direction to library materials, advice on
library collections and services, and expertise on multiple kinds of information from multiple
sources.
• The librarian is familiar with the contents of hundreds of reference books, and can recommend
books that might contain the answer to a particular question.

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