Page 37 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES

Information Sources and Services

Notes Reference services differ considerably in special libraries, their nature being determined in
major part by the purpose, dominant subject interests, size, and administrative structure of the
parent organization as well as by the initiative of the library staff. In spite of the variations,
reference activity in an individual special library normally corresponds to one of the levels of
service identified above. It may be restricted exclusively to aiding those who lack facility in use
of material, or it may encompass a complex array of services, including direct participation of
the librarian in the research process.
Special libraries often have a more specific clientele than libraries in traditional educational or
public settings, and deal with more specialized kinds of information. They are developed to
support the mission of their sponsoring organization and their collections and services are
more targeted and specific to the needs of their clientele. Depending on the particular library,
special libraries may or may not be open to the general public or elements thereof. Those that
are open to the public may offer services similar to research, reference, public, academic, or
children’s libraries, often with restrictions such as only lending books to patients at a hospital or
restricting the public from parts of a military collection. Given the highly individual nature of
special libraries, visitors to a special library are often advised to check what services and
restrictions apply at that particular library.

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:

9. There are seven fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries.
10. A special library is a term for a library that is neither an academic, school, public or
national library.

11. Public libraries are distinct from research libraries, school libraries, and other special
libraries.
12. When there are particular areas of specialization in academic libraries these are often
referred to as niche collections.
13. Special libraries often have a more specific clientele than libraries in traditional educational
or public settings.

Case Study Reference Service at the Farmington Community
Library

eference service at the Farmington Community Library is one of the most vital
and visible expressions of the Library’s purpose and mission and is key to each of
Rthe Library’s service roles—our overarching role to provide an environment that
fosters lifelong learning, as well as our primary roles—providing information assistance,
popular and current topics and titles, and serving our children, and our secondary service
roles—providing a community commons, fostering cultural awareness, offering business
and career information, and offering local history and genealogical resources.
Reference service is defined as personal assistance provided to users and potential users of
information. Reference service takes a variety of forms including direct personal assistance,
directories or signs, exchange of information culled from a reference source, readers’

Contd....

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