Introduction - meIntroduction - me

So, this morning I want to take us on a journey through totality of the reference So, this morning I want to take us on a journey through totality of the reference

transaction and look at the multiple potential points of failure as well as the

points of opportunity that lead up to that reference service interaction. I want to

consider what factors in our community either help or hinder our patrons from

interacting with us and what helps or hinders our capacity to help our patrons.

Some of what we discuss will be applicable to the library in general since we’re

going to look at both a macro and micro level, but we’ll also get down to the

nitty-gritty of the librarian/patron interaction that is at the center of reference

service.

By doing so, I hope we can come to a fuller appreciation of what it takes for us

to be able to assist a patron in resolving their information needs.

As a first step, I want to be sure we’re talking about the same thing.

I would define reference service succinctly as the process of connecting I would define reference service succinctly as the process of connecting

people with needed information and facilitating their use of that information.

Here’s RUSA’s long definition. What do you think of that?Here’s RUSA’s long definition. What do you think of that?

Any thoughts on that? How would you define “reference service”?

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION:

In-depth questions (but not all)

Instructing

Promoting library services they don’t don’t about

RA]

We’re also going to bring in RUSA’s Guidelines for Behavioral Perfmance of We’re also going to bring in RUSA’s Guidelines for Behavioral Perfmance of Reference and Information Service Providers when appropriate. These are very helpful objective guides for factors that can affect the reference transaction. If you haven’t looked at them in awhile, I recommend it.

Another key point is that Reference is OUR job, not our patron’s. We are the one’s Another key point is that Reference is OUR job, not our patron’s. We are the one’s that elected to provide that service to our communities. We may get frustrated at patronswho don’t have a good idea of what they want,or who get the title of the book wrong,or who can’t decide between A or Bor who asks “silly questions” And while there are arguably some silly questions, I don’t think there are as many as people sometimes complain there areIt’s our job to use all the tools at our disposal and to provide – even those who aren’t quite sure what they want – wit the resources and information they need to solve their information lack. So...

The key here is that we are providing service. And we’re providing servie to The key here is that we are providing service. And we’re providing servie to

our COMMUNITY. But step back one moment...

We throw around the word COMMUNITY but in fact we are serving…We throw around the word COMMUNITY but in fact we are serving…

Multiple Communities. Whether our library is in a rural community of a couple Multiple Communities. Whether our library is in a rural community of a couple thousand or in the center of a large urban environment with several hundred thousand, your community is not MONOLITHIC. There are arguably dozens of COMMUNITIES we serve and I’d like us to consider who those affect our reference services.

Just to get us started, I want to put up two TRADITONAL communities we talk about Just to get us started, I want to put up two TRADITONAL communities we talk about that libraries serve…What are some others you can think of… and I want us to think of what kind of information needs these different communities have…

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION:unemployed, business, homeschoolers, homeless, different ethnic groups, diversity, college students, parents, addicts, local historians, homebound, avid readers, non-readers, at-risk youth, niche hobbies, electronic resource users, children, technology-challenged, disabilities, new Americans/immigrants]

So, to fold this back into our larger discussion…

Reference SERVICE means We serve someone. We serve, one at a time, a Reference SERVICE means We serve someone. We serve, one at a time, a

member of one or more of those COMMUNITIES we just talked about. You

might give that a DUH! But the reason I bring it up is that ....

We serve another person. Another human being. I think that sometimes gets We serve another person. Another human being. I think that sometimes gets

lost in the fact that we often focus on the QUESTION and NOT the patron.

“That question was...” That person asking the question has a whole backstory

we may or may not be aware of, and we’re going to explore the factors that

lead that patron to us for assistance. Let’s start at the beginning…

The process all starts with the Big Bang, but that might be a few too many The process all starts with the Big Bang, but that might be a few too many

factors to explore.

A reference transaction begins with a person.A reference transaction begins with a person.

That person encounters a gap in their knowledge. It may be something small That person encounters a gap in their knowledge. It may be something small

they don’t know like “Was Nicholas Cage in that one movie?”, it may be

something big like “How do I apply for a scholarship to go to college?” or “How

can I find a job?” The size of the question doesn’t matter right now…

They’ve undergone a change from Unconscious Ignorance - a time when they They’ve undergone a change from Unconscious Ignorance - a time when they

didn’t know or didn’t care they didn’t know something or it had not emerged as

a problem for them - to Conscious Ignorance. Now, they recognize they have a

lack of knowledge about something and it causes a disruption in their life.

Now our person can go a number of different directions to get a solution to Now our person can go a number of different directions to get a solution to

their lack of knowledge.

Just a few solutions can include them asking family members or friends. They Just a few solutions can include them asking family members or friends. They

can go on the Internet. Or they can decide to go to the library and ask one of

us. But before we go on, I want us to consider:

- WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS NEVER GET TO US?

-WHAT DO WE NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO HELP WITH?

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION:

directions (used to be answered at the gas station), too embarrassed of

content or to admit they don’t know something]

This person may find our website and its online resources and use our This person may find our website and its online resources and use our

services remotely, bypassing us all together in-person. That’s another avenue

for helping patrons. Consider how important having a robust and easily-

navigated library website if people are going to be using that instead of coming

to you personally. David Lee King from Topeka and Shawnee County Public

Library, among others, has talked about the importance of our websites –

which are, in effect, digital branches serving actual patrons. The patrons who

come to the digitial branch are JUST AS IMPORTANT as those who come to

the physical branch.

But that may be a topic for another talk.

For our purposes this morning, let’s look at what may or may not lead them to

seek us out in-person, what factors can be a help or a hindrance and how we

might mitigate some of them or at least be aware of others..

Again, I want to make this a discussion among us so I hope you all had your caffeine delivery device of choice this morning.

There are factors on both the patron and the side of the library staff member There are factors on both the patron and the side of the library staff member

providing service that we need to examine to get a fuller picture of the

backstory of the reference transaction we’re familiar with. Some general, broad

categories I want to examine are:

Environmental Factors

Social and Cultural Factors

Technological Factors

And Individual factors for the patron and reference staff member

As well as institutional factors affecting the library staff person and the

reference service he or she can provide to the patron

Before we work through each of these, I want to make a plug for two other Before we work through each of these, I want to make a plug for two other

sessions at this conference that I believe intersect with what we’re trying to do

here:

Yesterday’s talk by Miriam Matteson entitled “A Conversation on Critical

Librarianship and Privilege” This was truly an eye-opener for me and Miriam

will be submitting her slides to the conference site.

The other program I’d recommend is Ryan Dowd’s on Friday morning about The other program I’d recommend is Ryan Dowd’s on Friday morning about

working with the homeless in our libraries. I think both could be very good

complements to this exercise we’re doing this morning.

Do they have a car?Do they have a car?Do they have to use public transportation?Do they know where your building is?

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION:hours, noise – ambiance, safety & security, employment (can they access library service during their work hours), is the bldg itself accessible, is the building navigable – are there signs? Does anyone feel welcome? Are there frowns? Are they acknowledged? Are SERVICE ANIMALS welcome? If so, are some people allergic? Are some staff allergic? What about people – other staff or patrons – afraid of dogs? Availability – Are they asking Pages since they’re in the stacks? What about the temperature of the building? Is it comfortable in summer? winter?]

Where is your building located?Where is your building located?Is it near a public transportation route?Can people find your building?Are there sufficient signs on the street?Are there sufficient signs in your library pointing to your service desk?Can people find the service desk?This coincides with some of the RUSA Behavioral Guidelines on Visibility and Approachability:found in a highly visible physical or virtual location (the library, outreach locations, or the library

website). Proper signage or notification that indicates the location, hours, and availability of in-

person and remote assistance is available.

This is a big one:This is a big one:Can the patron, if he’s a man, talk to a woman?Is the patron comfortable coming into the library in the first place?Does the patron feel WELCOME in the library?

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: If they aren’t comfortable, they will tell their friends and members of their community they weren’t comfortable. Their friends won’t seek us out either for help.The collection materials themselves. Are members of their community reflected in the materials.]

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: [PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: PROACTIVE vs. REACTIVE REFERENCE!!Who the library hires? Do patrons recognize themselves in the staff and the collection?]

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: [PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: Sensory disabilities: fluroescent light, ambient noise, perfume. If patrons with these conditions can’t take being in the building, they won’t come back. We can’t help them if they don’t come back.Many varied abilities and competencies. Also for staff!]

[PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: [PARTICIPANT DISCUSSION: Property maintenance of the building? Is it clean and inviting? Inside and out?]

So, to re-cap I want to put up that original slide with those broad categories we So, to re-cap I want to put up that original slide with those broad categories we

began with. As we can see now there are MANY underlying elements to each

of these. I’d like to wax philosophical for a moment to help drive home the

larger context I’m trying to get you to consider the intersection of community

and quality reference service...

Old Path, White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha, by Thich Nhat Hanh.The Buddha lifted the bowl and then looked at Ananda. "Ananda, among the interwoven The Buddha lifted the bowl and then looked at Ananda. "Ananda, among the interwoven elements that have given rise to the bowl, do you see water?"

"Yes. Without water, the potter would not have been able to mix the clay he used to fashion the bowl."

"Ananda, can you see the fire in this bowl?""Yes, Lord. Fire was necessary to complete the bowl.""What else can you see?""I see the air. Without air, the fire could not have burned and the potter could not have lived.

I see the potter and his skillful hands. I see his consciousness. I see the kiln and the wood stacked in the kiln. I see the trees the wood came from. I see the rain, sun, and earth which enabled the trees to grow. I can see thousands of interpenetrating elements which gave rise to this bowl."

"Excellent! Contemplating the bowl, it is possible to see the interdependent elements which gave rise to the bowl. Your own awareness is one of the elements. If you took away heat and returned it to the sun, if you returned the clay to the earth and the water to the river, if you returned the potter to his parents and the wood to the forest trees, could the bowl still exist?"

“The bowl could no longer exist. If you returned the elements which gave rise to the bowl to their sources, the bowl would no longer be present..."

And the Buddha said, “Look deeply at this bowl, and you can see the entire universe. This bowl contains the entire universe.“

So, in reality, that reference transaction in which you are engaged truly does So, in reality, that reference transaction in which you are engaged truly does

contain the entire universe back to the Big Bang. All the elements that had to

come together to make that happen really do contain the entire universe. It is a

precious moment, full of potential. I urge you to keep that in mind the next time

someone walks up to your desk and you ask them “ Can I help you?”

Thank you.