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Information and Reference Services

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.

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Information and Reference Services

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

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

  3. 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

  4. Information Services • Reference • Circulation • Interlibrary loan • Technical services to support access to information • Media digitization • Reserves

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

  6. User Mediation • Identify user information need • Negotiation & mediation of need • Types of user queries • Directional • Factual • Research

  7. 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

  8. 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.)

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

  10. User Instruction • Type of programs: • Orientation/guidance • Web-based tutorials • class-integrated • class-related • One-on-one

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Other Services • SDI • Information & Referral • Virtual reference • Chat • Email • Telephone • Web 2.0

  14. 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?

  15. Serving Diverse/Special Groups • Multicultural groups • Refugees • People with disabilities • Other groups?

  16. Information and the Community • Patterns of information seeking: Are they the same across various cultures? • Katz II: pp. 17-19 • What challenges are facing information professionals in the digital age?

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