The Changing Roles of Reference Librarians
Jessica Perham
LIS 770.02
December 11, 2011
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Library and information science is perhaps one of the most fluid and ever changing
fields in the workplace today. Libraries and the librarians that staff them must always stay upto-date of current trends, technology, and user habits to keep the library relevant in their patrons’
lives. One of the most challenging aspects of this constant change in the way that libraries
function is the changing responsibilities of reference librarians.
In years past, the “traditional” role of reference was seen as the static reference desk from
behind which pinch nez librarians consulted giant tomes to locate the information the patron was
looking for. RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) describes reference transactions
as “…information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or
use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs” (“Definitions of
Reference”).
Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Reference work was difficult enough when librarians
needed to be familiar with a multitude of print resources to be able to answer any reference
question posed to them. There are still print resources that can be referenced, but now there are
also e-books, electronic databases, and the all-encompassing phenomenon known as “the
Internet”. Library directors, in turn, must hire a new breed of librarians that can easily adapt to
change and can shift away from the “traditional” reference librarian roles that have come to
represent the stereotypical librarian.
A 2007 Pew Internet & American Life Project report showed that while 53% of
Americans visited a library in the previous year, only 13% considered the library as a resource
for getting help with a specific question. 58% of those interviewed said that they would be most
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likely to rely on the Internet for help, and a whopping 45% said they would seek help from
friends or family members rather than the library (Estabrook & Lee, 2007). Those patrons who
still ask reference questions now usually only ask for help because they cannot locate the
information they were looking for online. Even though visits were down to libraries and patrons
felt like they didn’t need the libraries’ resources, the evidence shows that they do still require
assistance from reference librarians, just in a different way. Libraries are no longer merely a
point of access for technology, but now have had to take on a teaching role to teach patrons how
to use the available technology to find the information themselves (O’Gorman & Trott, 2009).
The responsibilities for modern day reference librarians are ever changing and always in
flux. Gone are the days of reference librarians who sit behind the stale reference desk all day,
waiting for patrons to approach and ask about topics like business, government, and consumer
information (all of which can now be found online, thanks to technological advances).
Reference librarians now have the responsibility to have both a physical and a virtual presence
due to the popularity of the Internet, and they also have to deal with the increased use of new
technology such as online databases and devices like e-readers that many established reference
librarians have never encountered before in their reference work. Finally, reference librarians,
like all librarians, now have to take on the responsibility of marketing the library and its services
to those patrons who never step in the physical library any more due to being able to access
many materials remotely from home or a dorm room.
As early as 1986, Barbara Ford suggested that the physical reference desk should be done
away with not because the patrons no longer needed help, but because the physical reference
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desk may not be the most efficient way to provide that help. She also suggested that computer
technology would be able to provide more "ready reference" answers, which would leave
reference librarians to focus on more difficult reference questions. "Direct personal assistance"
did not have to always mean a physical reference desk (Ford, 1986).
Anne Lipow in 2003 predicted that by 2020 reference would be achieved mainly through
email and chat technology in addition to a still present, but diminished, physical reference
presence, both of which have proved to be true (Lipow, 2003). Reference work now, especially
within academic and special libraries, revolves mainly around the use of chat and email reference
often with widgets and contact forms built right into the library's website. Patrons can now
interact with reference librarians without ever leaving their home through the use of email, chat,
and phone reference services.
A study was done at the University of Rochester where research implies that students
may be more responsive to a single “service desk” that combined circulation, general library
information, reader’s advisory, and specialized reference services compared to separate desks. It
was also noted that these library users “expect that anyone behind any desk will be receptive to a
variety of requests” (O’Gorman & Trott, 2009, p.328-329). While this may not be feasible for
every library, it might still be a good option for managers and leaders to keep in mind when
trying to make reference services more accessible and relevant to their patrons. At the Virginia
Commonwealth University libraries, a restructured service desk model was instituted and in
2009 71% of the librarians and 48% of the paraprofessionals had a favorable view of the
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restructured service desk, showing that many librarians and staff are open to such changes
(Lubker, Henderson, Canevari, & Wright, 2010).
Also, more and more the remainders of physical reference desks are being staffed by
paraprofessionals to allow the reference librarians time away from the desk to answer more
complex reference questions and time to work on reference services. Frequently, reference
questions are merely “ready reference” questions about hours of the library, location, restrooms,
and other general information that can be found quickly using a single source of information.
This may be a good strategy for library leaders to adopt because it keeps reference librarians
from being overwhelmed with general questions, and if a patron came in looking for serious
reference help they might be hesitant to approach the reference desk if they noticed the reference
librarian was too busy fielding phone calls and general questions. Patrons can be hesitant
enough already approach the reference desk to ask for help, so care must be taken so reference
librarians can be available for those with more in depth questions. As a library leader, decisions
may need to be made to perhaps create multiple reference positions. It might be effective to
have one reference librarian in an office that can field all the chat, email, and phone reference
questions while the reference librarian at the reference desk can answer the patrons who come
asking for help.
For those patrons who still prefer a physical reference presence, another strategy
managers might want to employ for use with reluctant patrons would be to have “roving”
reference librarians among the stacks. By having reference librarians roam the stacks, they can
meet the patron on common ground, usually with a computer or handheld tablet in hand. The
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patron, standing with a blank stare in front of the medical section (for example), might be more
willing to ask the reference librarian for help finding books on depression away from the very
public and easily overheard reference desk where they might be more embarrassed. Or perhaps a
high school student with a Shakespeare assignment to complete would benefit from a reference
librarian approaching them with an offer of help, noticing that the patron looks entirely
overwhelmed thumbing through book after book about Shakespeare plays trying to find what
they’re looking for.
A challenge that may then occur with email, chat, and phone reference questions it is
often difficult to pick up on subtle clues in a patron's countenance, voice, and mannerisms that
help librarians discover what the patron is truly looking for. In a face-to-face reference
interview, librarians have the advantage of being able to interpret pauses and expressions to be
able to keep asking questions to narrow down the patron's question they are trying to ask. In an
email reference interview, for example, the reference librarian is hindered in the fact that they
cannot pick up on subtle nuances on what the patron may really want and have to wait for a
series of time consuming emails to be exchanged to reach the true question being asked. In a
chat reference interview, while the exchanges between patron and librarian are relatively fast, the
librarian still has to blindly try and determine the patron's need while wrestling with the fact that
the patron will expect a quicker response because of the nature of instant messenger services
(and the user is usually younger and more adept with the technology). An issue that arises out of
this newfound use of chat services for reference is the use of scripts by the reference librarians,
which can be equal parts useful (a quick and easy way to inform a patron about library hours, for
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example) and impersonal, giving the patron an unsatisfying interaction with the librarian.
Balance must be struck between the two to give the patron just as satisfying a reference
experience online as with an in-person reference librarian (Thompson, 2010).
To combat this potential problems, library leaders can engage their staff in training
sessions where examples of chat interactions take place so librarians can see what both good
AND bad reference chats look like. By seeing real world examples, librarians can see what
kinds of language patrons respond positively to, and what phrasing does not elicit the same kind
of response. Emotions and tone of voice are difficult to ascertain over the Internet, so it is
imperative that reference librarians using a messenger service be extra cautious when
corresponding with patrons.
While this is an exciting and ever changing time for libraries, it does present a multitude
of new issues, technology being one of them. There is a big generational gap among current
librarians that often produces issues when the more established librarians (who are often set in
their ways from when they first entered the field) have to try and deal with mastering new
technologies such as e-readers and online databases. Library directors are responsible for aiding
their staff, no matter what stage in their career, to adapt to new trends and technologies that have
now become prevalent in libraries.
One challenge that might arise would be that the librarians themselves might not be
personally familiar with the technology. While many people know the basics of using computers
and cellphones, not everyone has an e-reader -- making it difficult for reference librarians to
familiarize themselves with new technologies that patrons are likely to come in with asking for
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help with. One thing library leaders can do is to hold training sessions to help familiarize their
staff with new technology. By buying at least one device for the library, not only will the library
be able to train their staff, but staff can also use it when assisting patrons who bring in their own
devices looking for assistance.
Another issue that is especially prevalent among all reference librarians is the reluctance
of patrons (and even reference librarians) to use subscribed databases and resources provided by
the library. If a library is seeing a decrease in the use of print reference sources by patrons, it
can almost be guaranteed that there is a decrease in use of those same print reference sources by
the library staff and reference librarians (O’Gorman & Trott, 2009).
Unfortunately, Google and other online search engines have become the premier resource
for not only ready reference questions, but for more in depth questions as well. However, while
accessing Google may be easier than trying to navigate through a complicated database, “...few
scholars, professionals, or average citizens care to acquire the expertise necessary to solve their
own information needs; they did not before the library was automated, and they do not
now...most users still need personalized guidance” (Stieg, 1990, 49). Another issue as well is
that of “library anxiety” for those patrons with limited computer skills (Carlile, 2007), and a
study by Qun Jiao and Anthony Onwuegbuzie corroborated that library anxiety and anxiety felt
towards computers and usage were very closely related, and that perhaps a default computermediated reference interaction was not the “catch-all” answer (Jiao & Onwuegbuzie, 2004).
The problem this presents to library leaders is that they are often faced with a staff who
are either less than fluent in computer skills, or a group of younger Internet savvy librarians that
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automatically flock to Internet search engines whenever they are presented with a reference
question. More often than not paid subscription databases sit overlooked on library websites
with no use because patrons and reference librarians often tend to default to “trusted” sources
like Google and Yahoo because they are intimidated to learn how to navigate a new database
well enough to explain to a patron.
With the prevalence that computers and technology play in everyday life, most people are
automatically hardwired to go straight to their favorite search engine when they are looking for
information. “What year was Thanksgiving instituted as a national holiday?” would probably be
answered through a quick Google search and double checking the answer on two or three
different websites. However, since the Internet is an open resource, anyone can post
information about any particular subject regardless of the fact of whether it’s accurate – which
then presents the problem of information literacy (think Wikipedia). While Internet search
engines may be quicker and more convenient, you have to be able to sift through the information
to ascertain if the website is a reliable information source.
On a different note, because we now live in a digital age, and modern day students are
now more familiar with using electronic databases and resources rather than printed books, this
presents an issue to the reference librarians when trying to choose what resources to purchase for
the library. Contemporary students are now more familiar with full-text searching on online
databases rather than cumbersome print materials they are no longer familiar with photocopying
and taking notes on (O’Gorman & Trott, 2009). Do the librarians stick with “traditional”
resources that the reference librarians know how to navigate, or do you purchase more electronic
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resources and databases, the information of the future? Most libraries are now purchasing more
electronic resources and less print materials for their patrons, but the problem remains that many
patrons (and staff) find the new electronic resources too complicated or confusing to use. As a
result, the staff is not being able to stay current on technology relevant in their patrons’ lives, and
patrons (especially students) are less likely to ask the reference librarian for help.
While it may be time consuming, library leaders should start involving their reference
librarians more in the vendor process. By going through demonstrations and trials, these
reference librarians on the front line would already be fairly familiar with the resource and know
what it offers so that in a reference interview, the librarian can automatically go “I know exactly
what resource we can use to help you”. It should also be the reference librarian’s responsibility
regardless to familiarize themselves with the databases through independent exploration and trial
searching to ensure that they know how to use and search the databases when they are trying to
demonstrate them for a patron.
If patrons (and librarians) still insist on using Internet search engines more frequently,
then training sessions should be set up for the reference librarians to focus on information
literacy online (e.g. determining which websites are the most appropriate via the currency,
objectiveness, authority, domain name, etc). Many people are not aware than anyone can post
information on the Internet, and by instructing both staff and patrons to critically evaluate the
information they find online, a great service will be done for all involved. Wikipedia is one of
the most common “offenders” to this rule, and many patrons do not realize that because the
website can be edited by anyone, it is not a reliable information resource for anything beyond
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basic, general knowledge. As mentioned previously, many reference interactions take place
when the patron has independently tried to locate information online, and wasn’t able to decipher
websites or databases to find what they were looking for.
One of the biggest evolutions of libraries and reference this past decade is the presence a
reference librarian can portray outside the physical library. With the widespread use and
popularity of the Internet, library leaders need to market the library’s image into the community
any way they can. Brian Mathews writes, “...In terms of Reference, will we continue to wait for
patrons to approach us at the Desk, or embrace social technologies and use proactive strategies to
make ourselves more visible to our patrons? By finding ways to branch out, virtually and
physically, librarians can blend in with the communities they serve and craft a new identity and
relevance” (Mathews, 2007, 10).
The leaders of the (former) Alliance Library System in East Peoria, Illinois, thought like
this and in turn developed “Second Life”, a virtual reality world for librarians and patrons.
There is a cooperative reference desk and includes video tutorials, audio players, subject guides,
database and catalog searching, live assistance, instructional sessions, meeting areas, and a wide
variety of other features (Mathews, 2011).
One of the best ways library leaders can have their reference librarians reach more
patrons is through the use of social media like Myspace, Facebook, Goodreads, and blogs.
Through the use of Myspace and Facebook pages, libraries can advertise hours and services (like
reference) to those patrons who might never have been aware of them before. Since some
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patrons (especially students) are more likely to use online resources instead of ever setting foot
in the library, having online “flyers” and signs will allow the librarian to advertise library
services to those patrons who might not have seen the information in the physical library.
In an academic library, reference librarians can make use of blogs and Libguides to post
information about databases, searching, and reference services for those students who prefer to
do homework elsewhere on campus. Through the use of blogs, attention can be given to specific
subjects and detailed information can be posted about subject specific databases, reliable Internet
websites that might be useful in research, and contact information (and hours) for the library and
reference staff in case they have any questions.
Reference librarians are not the only library professionals that have to change and adapt
to the emerging trends, issues, and problems facing 21st century libraries. Library leaders must
work together with their reference librarians (or any library staff, for that matter) to implement
change that is meaningful to both the patrons and the library themselves. The needs, wants, and
habits of the patrons libraries serve are ever changing as an era of technology and electronic
resources replaces the traditional idea of books and physical libraries, and the librarians start to
have more of a presence outside the physical library. These changes do not mean the end of the
traditional library as we know it, merely an exciting shift that allows librarians to serve their
constituents in new and exciting ways.
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Resources
Carlile, H. (2007). The implications of library anxiety for academic reference services: A review
of the literature. Australian Academic and Research Libraries 38 (2), 129-147.
Definitions of Reference. (2011). RUSA: Reference and User Services Association. Retrieved
November 22, 2011, from
http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/definitionsreference
Estabrook, L., & Lee, R. (2007). Pew research center: In search of solutions: How people use
the Internet, libraries, and government agencies to find help. Retrieved December 3,
2011, from http://pewresearch.org/pubs/677/in-search-of-solutions
Ford, B. (1986). Reference beyond (and without) the reference desk. College & Research
Libraries 47, 491-94.
Jiao, Q., & Onwuegbuzie, A. (2004). The impact of information technology on library anxiety:
The role of computer attitudes. Information Technology and Libraries 23 (4), 138-144.
Lipow, A. (2003). The future of reference: Point-of-need reference service: No longer an
afterthought. Reference Services Review 31 (1), 31-35.
Lubker, I. M., Henderson, M. E., Canevari, C. S., & Wright, B. A. (2010). Refocusing
reference services outside the library building: One library's experience. Medical
Reference Services Quarterly, 29 (3), 218-228. doi:10.1080/02763869.2010.494478
Mathews, B. (2007). Moving beyond the reference desk: Being where users need us.
Reference Librarian, 48(2), 9-13.
O’Gorman, J. & Trott, B. (2009). What will become of reference in academic and public
libraries?. Journal of Library Administration, 49(4), 327-339.
doi:10.1080/01930820902832421
Stieg, M. (1990). Technology and the concept of reference; or, what will happen to the
milkman’s cow? Library Journal 115, 49.
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Thompson, S. (2010). To script or not to script: Or, the challenge of being both efficient
and personal when interacting with virtual reference patrons. Reference Librarian,
51 (4), 363-366. doi:10.1080/02763877.2010.503315
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