Information and Reference Services Dr. Dania Bilal IS 530 Fall 2007

Definitions  Information/reference service: – provision of information, guidance, and instruction to users  Reference librarians: – information specialists and intermediaries between information sources and users

Purposes  Assist in meeting user information needs  Educate users in effective access, evaluation, and use of information  Develop and maintain virtal and non- virtual collections to meet user needs

Information Services  Reference  Circulation  Interlibrary loan  Technical services to support access to information  Media digitization  Reserves

Reference Services  User mediation  User guidance  User instruction  Database searching  Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI)  Digital/virtual reference  User outreach (Web 2.0)  Other

User Mediation  Identify user information need – Negotiation & mediation of need – Types of user queries Directional Factual Research

User Queries  Directional: location-driven  Factual: known as ready reference – Have target answers; simple  Research: require research to find relevant information sought – No target answers; complex Examples

APTs and Ready Reference Queries  Answer-providing tools (APTs): – almanacs, dictionaries, maps, directories, encyclopedias, atlases, etc.  APTs may be: – print (books, encyclopedias, newspapers, etc.) – electronic (database(s), online catalog(s), Web site(s), etc.)

APTs and Research Queries  Journals, magazines, books, encyclopedias, government documents, theses, etc.  Print and electronic/online

User Instruction  Type of programs: – Orientation/guidance – Web-based tutorials – class-integrated – class-related – One-on-one

Database Searching  Fee-based – Available through commercial vendors such as Dialog Command-driven and menu-driven – service policies – Not all libraries offer service – Dialog searches performed to users by intermediaries or other specialists

End-User Databases  Menu- rather than command-driven  Web-based, GUI-driven, non command-driven – Type, point and click! – Examples: databases accessible through Hodges Library

Other Services  SDI  Information & Referral  Virtual reference – Chat – – Telephone – Web 2.0

Reference and the Community  Who uses the library?  Are libraries competing with bookstores?  What type of users do libraries serve?  Are search engines such as Google competing with library use?

Serving Diverse/Special Groups  Multicultural groups  Refugees  People with disabilities  Other groups?

Information and the Community  Patterns of information seeking: Are they the same across various cultures? – Katz II: pp  What challenges are facing information professionals in the digital age?