REFERENCE REVAMP
Sponsored by OLC’s Reference and Information
Services Division
What we’ll cover today
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The Reference Interview
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Remote Reference
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Reference Ethics
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Reference Sources
Who are we?
Lea Carrigan
Jen Downing
Reference Librarian
Adult Services Librarian
The Reference Interview:
Or,
Why don’t patrons ask for what they really
want?
Reference Gone Wrong!!!
Training Boxers
Reference Gone Wrong!!!
Training Boxers?
Training Boxers?
Reference Gone Right!!!
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Cinnamon
Reference Gone Right!!!
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Cinnamon
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Dinosaurs
Reference Gone Right!
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Roget’s Thesaurus
Your examples, please!
Approachability
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Look up from the desk
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Greet people

Smile
Interest & Listening

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Give your attention to the patron in
front of you.
Treat all questions as important.
Paraphrasing
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Let’s the patron know that you have heard and
understand the question.
Keeps a talkative patron on point.
Offers patron an opportunity to volunteer more
information.
This should be a statement. Questions can sound
judgemental!
Asking Open-Ended Questions
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Don’t ask “Yes” or “No” questions.
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Don’t offer options.

Takes the pressure off you to know
something about the topic!
Clarifying

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Clarifying questions come late in the Reference
Interview.
This is asking specific questions about a particular
piece of information.

At this point you may use “Yes” or “No” questions.

You may offer the patron choices.
Verifying

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Before you start your search, take the
time to verify that you understand
exactly what the patron wants.
Gives the patron one more chance to
clarify the question.
Searching

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What has the patron already found?
Let the patron know what steps you are
taking.
Following Up

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Make sure you have fully answered the
patron’s question.
The only way to know is to ask!
Ending the Interview

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Encourage the patron to come back if
more information is needed.
You may want to let the patron know
how to contact you.
Further Resources

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
Website

Ohio Reference Excellence (ORE) on the Web

OLC RISD Blog
Remote Reference
Or,
I want it NOW!
Or,
Hello are you
still there?
Types of Remote Reference
What is
Remote
Reference?

Phone
Any reference
transaction
that is not
conducted
face to face.

Email

Chat

Text/SMS
Remote Reference

Conduct a Reference Interview

Don’t forget to cite your sources

Communication style is very important.
 Mimic
the patron’s communication style.
Remote Reference cont.


Following up is very important. Make sure to ask if
you have fully answered the question.
Include your contact information so the patron can
reach you again if more information is needed.
Reference Ethics
Medical, Legal and Business

Check with your Library’s policy:


“Staff cannot interpret medical, tax or legal questions, nor
can they provide advice pertaining to these matters.
However, staff can provide resources on a specific medical,
tax and legal question.”
-Worthington Libraries
RUSA Guidelines for Medical, Legal, and Business
Responses

http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesm
edical
Patron Privacy

Professional Competence

Privacy and Confidentiality

Intellectual Freedom

Equitable Service and Access

Intellectual Property
Print Reference Sources
Types of Print Reference Sources


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Encyclopedias
Almanacs
Dictionaries
Atlases
Gazetteers
Bibliographies

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Directories
Guidebooks
Handbooks
Indices
Manuals
Yearbooks
Most Important:

Know YOUR collection!
A Few of Our Faves
Online Reference Sources
Useful Web Sites

Ohio Web Library
 http://www.ohioweblibrary.org/

Open Directory Project
 http://www.dmoz.org/

Ipl2: Information You Can Trust
 http://www.ipl.org/
Useful Web Sites

Google Advanced Search
 http://www.google.com/advanced_search

Wikipedia
 http://www.wikipedia.org/
Free Journal Articles

HighWire Press (Stanford):
 http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

Directory of Open Access Journals
 http://www.doaj.org/

Wiley Open Access:
 http://www.wileyopenaccess.com/view/journals.html
Evaluating Websites
Questions to
Ask Yourself






Who produced the site?
What is the purpose of the site?
Who is the intended audience?
Is the information accurate?
Is the information objective?
Is the information current?
Evaluating Websites cont.

Evaluating Web Sites Tutorial
 http://liblearn.osu.edu/tutor/les1/

Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria & Tools
 http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webeva
l.html

Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial
 http://www.lib.berkeley.edu./TeachingLib/Guides/Inte
rnet/Evaluate.html
Thoughts? Questions?
Contact Info:
Lea Carrigan
Jen Downing
Reference Librarian
Adult Services Librarian
Fairfield County District Library
Worthington Libraries
lcarrigan@fcdlibrary.org
jdowning@worthingtonlibraries.org
Resources



Ford, Charlotte. Crash Course in Reference. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.
Print.
Mulac, Carolyn M. Fundamentals of Reference (ALA Fundamentals). Chicago: American
Library Association, 2012. Print.
www.olc.org/ore


http://unllib.unl.edu/LPP/willenbrown.htm


Note: Links are a work in progress, but the information on the site is wonderful!
The Reference Interview: Theories and Practice
http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesbehavioral

Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers
Image Credits:
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Slide 3 - http://www.slideshare.net/bcshipps/referenceinterview-101#btnPrevious
Slide 4 - http://www.livestrong.com/boxing-training/
Slide 5 - http://www.livestrong.com/boxing-training/ &
http://www.gentledogtraining.com/groupclassdescription.html
Slide 6 http://frogrecruitment.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cinnamo
n.jpg
Slide 7 http://frogrecruitment.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cinnamo
n.jpg &
http://www.nyparenting.com/stories/2012/10/sif_cal_dinosa
urs_2012_10.html
Image Credits
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Slide 8 - http://www.yourdictionary.com/about/rogetsthesaurus.html
Slide 10 - https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/maccadmissions/files/job-reference-check.jpg
Slide 21 - computerhelpall.blogspot.com
Slide 22 – actual Worthington Libraries’ IM transaction
Slide 23 http://www.acfe.com/uploadedImages/ACFE_Website/Conte
nt/images/topic-landing/ethics-and-compliance.jpg
Slide 28 http://www.hartnell.edu/library/LIB5/reference_books.jpg
Image Credits
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Slide 31http://www.dtalkville.com/aca/ACAIMAGES_BKS/american_decades_1920_1929
.jpg, http://images.betterworldbooks.com/023/The-Columbia-Granger-s-Index-toPoetry-in-Anthologies9780231139885.jpg,http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_q95ENV9JKeA/TAVT5K46jI/AAAAAAAAASw/_fLREo1RiuU/s1600/512GXBVBX8L._.jpg,
http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780071801171_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG,
http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-English-Dictionary-volprint/dp/0199573158/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364240059&sr=1
-2&keywords=oxford+english+dictionary,
http://www.ebookws.com/uploads/posts/2013-03/1-business-plans-handbookvol.22.jpeg,
http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781616086992_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG,
http://www.ippbooks.com/store/images/T/--7853.jpg,
http://img1.imagesbn.com/p/9781604870152_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG
Image Credits
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Slide 32 http://library.sdsu.edu/sites/default/files/imagecache/galler
y_full/Search.png
Slide 38 - http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JEfCd3qv2Q/Tcqdx7mqfuI/AAAAAAAACPA/SpRqMTw9YM/s1600/questions-1.jpg
Slide 39 http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdhshlTp9h1rqpa8po1_5
00.jpg