1. University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao City
Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers
Presented to the Participants of the
2nd Conference on the Teaching of Library and Information Science
Sponsored by the Mindanao Alliance of Educators in Library and Information Science (MAELIS)
May 15-16, AVR, GET 2 Building, Matina Campus
University of Mindanao, Davao City by
DR. BRICCIO M. MERCED, JR.
University Librarian
University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao City

2. History, Purpose, and Acceptance of The Guidelines
RUSA Guidelines first published in 1996
Revised by MOUSS Management of Reference Committee and approved by the RUSA Board of Directors, ALA, June 2004
Intended to be used in the training, development, and/or evaluation of library professionals and staff
Guidelines favorably evaluated by the profession, and currently enjoy widespread acceptance as standards for the measurement of effective reference transactions

3. Contributory Developments to The Guidelines
original Guidelines dealt primarily with face-to-face interactions
and online chat services have become popular with both patrons and library staff, and are expanding in all types of libraries, from public to academic to school libraries and beyond
remote forms of reference, the lack of traditional visual and non-verbal cues produces a different type of library-patron interaction.

4. Guidelines Require Good Communication Skills
one constant that the shift away from in-person encounters has not lessened is the need for good communication skills
the Virtual Reference Desk recognized this and incorporated an “Interactive” component into their “Facets of Quality for Digital Reference Services,” stating that “[d]igital reference services should provide opportunities for an effective reference interview, so that users can communicate necessary information to experts and to clarify vague user questions”

5. The Guidelines : Survey Results
in all forms of reference services, the success of the transaction is measured not only by the information conveyed, but also by the positive or negative impact of the patron/staff interaction
the positive or negative behavior of the reference staff member (as observed by the patron) becomes a significant factor in perceived success or failure
this connection has been born out in the work of researchers like Gers and Seward (1985), who found that "behaviors have a strong influence on performance“ and,

6. The Guidelines : Survey Results
Whitlatch (1990), who stated "Librarian courtesy, interest, and helpfulness are crucial in providing successful reference service. Libraries must select and retain staff who have these service orientations toward users.“
Matthew Saxton (2002) put the Guidelines to a statistical test, and found that they did indeed correlate highly to a successful reference transaction

7. Original 5 Main Areas of Reference & User Services
Approachability
Interest
Listening/Inquiring
Searching
Follow-Up)

8. 3 Distinct Categories Added to the Original 5
General
guidelines that can be applied in any type of reference interaction, including both in person and remote transactions
In Person
additional guidelines that are specific to face-to-face encounters, and make the most sense in this context.
Remote
additional guidelines that are specific to reference encounters by telephone, , chat, etc., where traditional visual and non-verbal cues do not exist

9. 1.0 Approachability
patrons must be able to identify a reference librarian who will provide assistance
patrons must feel comfortable in going to that person for help
in remote environments, this means placing contact information for chat, , telephone, and other services in prominent locations, to make them obvious and welcoming to patrons
librarian's role in the communications process is to make the patrons feel comfortable in a situation that may be perceived as intimidating, risky, confusing, and overwhelming

10. 1.1.b1 An Approachable Librarian (General)
"reference presence" wherever patrons look for it that includes Reference Services in a highly visible location and using proper signage (both in the library and on the library's Web site) to indicate the location, hours, and availability of in-person and remote help or assistance
poised and ready to engage approaching patrons ; librarian is aware of the need to stop all other activities when patrons approach and focus attention on the patrons' needs
acknowledges others waiting for service ; employs a system of question triage to identify what types of questions the patrons have when more than two patrons are waiting. Frequently asked questions, brief informational questions, directional questions, and referrals can be answered quickly, allowing more time to devote to in-depth reference questions.

11. 1.1.b2 Approachable Librarian : In Person
establishes initial eye contact with patrons, and acknowledges the presence of patrons through smiling and attentive and welcoming body language
acknowledges patrons through the use of a friendly greeting to initiate conversation, and by standing up, moving forward, or moving closer to them
remains visible to patrons as much as possible.

12. 1.1.b3 Approachable Librarian : In Person
roves through the reference area offering assistance
to rove successfully, the librarian should:
be mobile
address the patrons before addressing their computer screen.
approach patrons and offer assistance with lines such as, "Are you finding what you need?" "Can I help you with anything?" or "How is your search going?“
check back on the patron’s progress after helping them start a search.
if the reference desk has been left unattended, check back periodically to see if there are patrons waiting for assistance there.

13. 1.1.c Approachable Librarian : Remote
should provide prominent, jargon-free links to all forms of reference services from the home page of the library's Web site, and throughout the site wherever research assistance may be sought out.
The Web should be used to make reference services easy to find and convenient.

14. 2.0 Interest
successful librarians demonstrate a high degree of interest in the reference transaction
librarians should be interested in each patron's informational need and committed to providing the most effective assistance
librarians who demonstrate a high level of interest in the inquiries of their patrons will generate a higher level of satisfaction among users

15. 2.1.a To demonstrate interest, the librarian must:
General
faces the patron when speaking and listening
focuses attention on the patrons

16. 2.1.b. To demonstrate interest, the librarian must:
In Person
faces patrons when speaking and listening
maintains or re-establishes eye contact with patrons throughout the transaction
signals an understanding of patrons’ needs through verbal or non-verbal confirmation, such as nodding of the head or brief comments or questions

17. 2.1.c. To demonstrate interest, the librarian must:
Remote
maintains or re-establishes "word contact" with the patron in text-based environments by sending written or prepared prompts, etc., to convey interest in the patron's question
acknowledges user questions in a timely manner
states question-answering procedures and policies clearly in an accessible place on the Web. This should indicate question scope, types of answers provided, and expected turnaround time

18. 3.0 Listening / Inquiring
reference interview is the heart of the reference transaction and is crucial to the success of the process
librarian must be effective in identifying the patron's information needs and must do so in a manner that keeps patrons at ease
strong listening and questioning skills are necessary for a positive interaction

19. 3.1.a Librarian as a Good Communicator (General)
communicates in a receptive, cordial, and encouraging manner
uses a tone of voice and/or written language appropriate to the nature of the transaction
allows the patrons to state fully their information need in their own words before responding
identifies the goals or objectives of the user’s research, when appropriate
rephrases the question or request and asks for confirmation to ensure that it is understood
seeks to clarify confusing terminology and avoids excessive jargon

20. 3.1.a Librarian as a Good Communicator (General)
uses open-ended questioning techniques to encourage patrons to expand on the request or present additional information
some examples of such questions include:
Please tell me more about your topic.
What additional information can you give me?
How much information do you need?

21. 3.1.a Librarian as a Good Communicator (General)
uses closed and/or clarifying questions to refine the search query
Some examples of clarifying questions:
What have you already found?
What type of information do you need (books, articles, etc.)?
Do you need current or historical information?
maintains objectivity and does not interject value judgments about subject matter or the nature of the question into the transaction

22. 3.1.b Librarian as a Good Communicator (Remote)
uses reference interviews or Web forms to gather as much information as possible without compromising user privacy

23. 4.0 Searching
search process is the portion of the transaction in which behavior and accuracy intersect
without an effective search, not only is the desired information unlikely to be found, but patrons may become discouraged as well
many of the aspects of searching that lead to accurate results are still dependent on the behavior of the librarian

24. 4.1 Searching (General)
finds out what patrons have already tried, and encourages patrons to contribute ideas
constructs a competent and complete search strategy which involves:
selecting search terms that are most related to the information desired
verifying spelling and other possible factual errors in the original query
identifying sources appropriate to the patron's need that have the highest probability of containing information relevant to the patron's query

25. 4.1 Searching (General)
explains the search strategy and sequence to the patrons, as well as the sources to be used
attempts to conduct the search within the patrons’ allotted time frame
explains how to use sources when appropriate
works with the patrons to narrow or broaden the topic when too little or too much information is identified
asks the patrons if additional information is needed after an initial result is found
recognizes when to refer patrons to a more appropriate guide, database, library, librarian, or other resource
offers pointers, detailed search paths (including complete URLs), and names of resources used to find the answer, so that patrons can learn to answer similar questions on their own

26. 4.2 Searching In Person Remote
Accompanies the patrons in the search (at least in the initial stages of the search process)
Remote
Uses appropriate technology (such as co-browsing, scanning, faxing, etc.) to help guide patrons through library resources, when possible

27. 5.0 Follow-up
the reference transaction does not end when the librarian leaves the patrons. The librarian is responsible for determining if the patrons are satisfied with the results of the search, and is also responsible for referring the patrons to other sources, even when those sources are not available in the local library

28. 5.1 Follow-up (General)
For a successful follow-up, the librarian must:
ask patrons if their questions have been completely answered
encourage patrons to return if they have further questions by making a statement such as “If you don’t find what you are looking for, please come back and we’ll try something else”
“Roving” is an excellent technique for follow-up
consult other librarians or experts in the field when additional subject expertise is needed
make patrons aware of other appropriate reference services ( , etc.)

29. 5.1 Follow-up (General)
For a successful follow-up, the librarian must:
make patrons aware of other appropriate reference services ( , etc.)
make arrangements, when appropriate, with the patrons to research a question even after the reference transaction has been completed
refer the patrons to other sources or institutions when the query cannot be answered to the satisfaction of the patron
facilitate the process of referring patrons to another library or information agency through activities such as calling ahead, providing direction and instructions, and providing the library and the patrons with as much information as possible about the amount of information required, and sources already consulted
take care not to end the reference interview prematurely

30. 5.2 Follow-up (Remote) Remote
Suggests that the patrons visit or call the library when appropriate.

31. Conclusion The Future of Reference Services Papers
What Is Reference For? Joseph Janes – “If we make sure that these services are attractive, effective, evaluated, marketed, integrated, professional, institutionalized, value-based, and appropriate, that's about the best we can hope for, and I'd bet services with those characteristics would thrive.”

32. Conclusion The Future of Reference Services Papers
On the Desirableness of Personal Relations Between Librarians and Readers: The Past and Future of Reference Service / David Tyckoson
Libraries and Communities
To understand the relationship of reference service to the rest of the library, we need to understand the relationship of the library to the rest of its community. Libraries do not exist in a vacuum. With very few exceptions, libraries are built and maintained to provide information resources for a specific, defined community.

33. Conclusion
Public libraries serve the residents of a specific geographic region, most often defined by the limits of a given city or county.
Academic libraries serve the students and faculty of a specific college or university.
Medical libraries serve a specific hospital or care-giving unit.
Corporate libraries serve a specific commercial firm.
School libraries serve the teachers and students of a given school or school district.

34. Conclusion
In each case, the library only exists to serve its parent community. Libraries that serve their communities well become integrated into the fabric of that community, becoming institutions with which all members are familiar and take pride. Success in serving the community often results in publicity, praise, and better funding. Failure to serve the community can result in neglect, indifference, and reduced funding. An extreme case of failure can result in the elimination of the library as an institution within the community.

35. Thank You