I - Reference
I. use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users;
Introduction
In business of providing information to the public, understanding how to provide good quality service with a variety of groups or users is really important. Knowing how people get information and how they feel about it can make all the difference in the world. Cassell and Hiremath (2009) write that “reference services are at once a life raft, map, and compass to those who feel adrift” (3). This competency will provide proof that I am competent in helping such people.
One of the reasons that I wanted to go into archives was because I loved showing people how cool history could be. I loved telling somebody about some scandal or some piece of little known history to show them that it is not just a bunch of dates. It is because of this love of providing knowledge, that I understand competency I to mean that I provide information to the public in such a way that is accurate, current, and to their understanding using the principles, ideas, and means put forth by the governing bodies of the profession. I understand competency I to mean that I help move information from one place or person to the next and how well I do this in according to a set of individuals. To me, this competency is probably the single most important competency in the set of fourteen.
I define this competency to mean that I know the concepts and ways to promote the flow of information to a person or group; how relevant is that information, and how correct that information is as well. As a working adult, most of my jobs have been in the public service realm. The information that I know is very important to how others see me in my job as well as how they see the institution as a whole. The services that I provide should be to the best of my ability as well as “accurate, unbiased, and courteous” (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009, p. 4).
Reference services and questions, no matter how small, are not to be overlooked in any field. The questions, as Cassell and Hiremath (2009) write, “fulfill the greater mission of the library by helping individual users” (4). That is why this competency is so important. Users are the information field’s bread and butter and if they feel they cannot be helped, then they will not return. It important for the profession to be able to provide information in a way the user understands it. In order to do this, learning how to do a good reference interview, such teaching the user how to do the search process (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009), rather than just giving them the answer will allow the user to better gain access to the information they need. In the libraries or archives, “the reference librarian is the human face of the library” (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 128), while other information fields, references services may be in different parts of the company. Where ever they are, they are still important in how they interact with the public. Lastly, understanding this competency is important to the information profession because the internet has changed the way people access information. A person doing reference should not only be able to provide relevant and accurate information through traditional sources but they should also be able to provide non-traditional sources like blogs, wikis, and other web 2.0 sources.
As I have stated before, this competency, to me, is probably the most vital to understand and be completely sure of it. Being the face of an organization or institution is a daunting task. But for as a future archivist, librarian, or information professional, this competency is not just about the information that you give. It is about how you give it. Being polite, courteous, and most of all, impartial, are also extremely important. I recently had an experience where I asked a reference librarian for some possible titles of books to read and while I understand now, due to my readings in LIBR 220, Reader’s Advisory, it is hard to do, her body language and the way she presented herself, came across as “I do not want to do this”. It made me want to be better at Reader’s Advisory. For me, going into the information profession, I have to be able to find sources for patrons in an efficient manner, but in a way that I will be able to explain to them. It does neither me, nor the institution I work for, anything if I cannot explain something to a patron and they never come back.
While at SJSU, I have taken several classes that deal with reference services. I have taken LIBR 210, which is Reference services where I learned the mass of sources that are out there for research as well as how to do a good reference interview. I have also taken LIBR 256, where we touched briefly on doing reference questions for archives, and finally, I am currently taking LIBR 220, Reader’s Advisory where I am learning to better answer the question “What should I read next?” These classes have given me the tools and knowledge to help patrons or users find the information that they seek.
My schoolwork has not been the only way I have learned and gained knowledge about reference work. I have had several jobs in which I interacted with the public, providing answers as best I could. The hardest of these was working in a large chain grocery store, where I understand how you interact with a person, change the way they see the organization. The most rewarding and challenging work that I have done interacting with the public, is my work at the Manuscripts, Archives, Special Collections (MASC) department at the Washington State University libraries. I have started working at the front desk and I absolutely love being able to talk to students, staff, and community members when they come in asking if we have this type of item in our collection or what currently is on exhibit, etc. I have been able to provide information about what MASC has it in as well as other information that they may not have thought of when asking reference questions.
The evidence I will present here to show that I know and understand the meaning of competency I are two assignments from LIBR 210 reference services and several finding aids that I have written for my job at MASC.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence that I am providing to prove my understanding and knowledge of competency I is an exercise from LIBR 210, reference services. We were given a set of reference questions and we had to answer them. Not only did we have to answer them but we also had to explain how we arrived at our answer. Several of the questions I had a hard time with but in the end I realized I loved doing reference work. One of my favorite questions from this exercise was the first question. It was tough to find because there was not a lot of information to go on, but it kept picking at my brain until one day, I realized I knew exactly what the answer was and it was a song I had heard played as a child. I was one of only a handful of people in the class to find the correct poem/text. This exercise and its subsequent thinking allowed me to provide relevant and accurate information to the “patron”
The second piece of evidence that I am providing is another assignment from LIBR 210, reference services. This assignment was to create a pathfinder that could either be put on the web or printed out to give to patrons as a way to search for more information. Drexel University (2012) defines pathfinders as something “intended to help you get started doing research on a particular topic, both online and at your library”. I did my pathfinder on Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Lorenz Hart. I had to come up with a scope statement but also keyword terms in order to better facilitate patrons in searching for information on these men. In this assignment, it allowed me the creative freedom to research a topic I loved as well as become more familiar with an area in order to have relevant information to provide. I put my pathfinder into a webpage due to the notion that it is something that can be accessed anywhere, including on a smartphone. This allows the patron to have the research tools available to them. Another reason I created a webpage was that unlike paper pathfinders, that are harder to update, webpages are easier. They can also provide links to other places and resources that may have more information (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009, p. 10). Here is a link to the webpage, Sounds of Broadway.
The last piece of evidence that I am providing are several different finding aids that I have created while working at MASC. This including finding aids to small collections such as the Thompson Hall papers to large collections such as the Office of the Chancellor papers. Creating these finding aids has allowed me to write information that is needed in order for researchers to access the information they need. I have learned in writing these finding aids, that there are different ways to put the information on them in order to better provide patrons with information. I have also learned through experience working at MASC what is needed in terms finding aid principals such as who can access the collection and the citation needed for copyright information.
- History 469 Senior Seminar – Thompson Hall papers
- Washington Higher Education Telecommunication Systems records
- Office of the Chancellor, WSU Spokane
- Army Specialized Training Reserve Program collection
Conclusion
I have provided evidence here through answering reference questions, writing a pathfinder, and finally writing finding aids, that I understand and prove that I am competency in using service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users. I also feel that I have the work experience and scholastic knowledge to be able to assist patrons in whatever their information needs may be.
References
Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and information services in the 21st century. (2 ed.). New
York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Drexel University. (2012). Pathfinders. Retrieved from http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/.
Haycock, K. and Sheldon, B. (2008). The portable MLIS: insights from the experts. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
Introduction
In business of providing information to the public, understanding how to provide good quality service with a variety of groups or users is really important. Knowing how people get information and how they feel about it can make all the difference in the world. Cassell and Hiremath (2009) write that “reference services are at once a life raft, map, and compass to those who feel adrift” (3). This competency will provide proof that I am competent in helping such people.
One of the reasons that I wanted to go into archives was because I loved showing people how cool history could be. I loved telling somebody about some scandal or some piece of little known history to show them that it is not just a bunch of dates. It is because of this love of providing knowledge, that I understand competency I to mean that I provide information to the public in such a way that is accurate, current, and to their understanding using the principles, ideas, and means put forth by the governing bodies of the profession. I understand competency I to mean that I help move information from one place or person to the next and how well I do this in according to a set of individuals. To me, this competency is probably the single most important competency in the set of fourteen.
I define this competency to mean that I know the concepts and ways to promote the flow of information to a person or group; how relevant is that information, and how correct that information is as well. As a working adult, most of my jobs have been in the public service realm. The information that I know is very important to how others see me in my job as well as how they see the institution as a whole. The services that I provide should be to the best of my ability as well as “accurate, unbiased, and courteous” (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009, p. 4).
Reference services and questions, no matter how small, are not to be overlooked in any field. The questions, as Cassell and Hiremath (2009) write, “fulfill the greater mission of the library by helping individual users” (4). That is why this competency is so important. Users are the information field’s bread and butter and if they feel they cannot be helped, then they will not return. It important for the profession to be able to provide information in a way the user understands it. In order to do this, learning how to do a good reference interview, such teaching the user how to do the search process (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009), rather than just giving them the answer will allow the user to better gain access to the information they need. In the libraries or archives, “the reference librarian is the human face of the library” (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 128), while other information fields, references services may be in different parts of the company. Where ever they are, they are still important in how they interact with the public. Lastly, understanding this competency is important to the information profession because the internet has changed the way people access information. A person doing reference should not only be able to provide relevant and accurate information through traditional sources but they should also be able to provide non-traditional sources like blogs, wikis, and other web 2.0 sources.
As I have stated before, this competency, to me, is probably the most vital to understand and be completely sure of it. Being the face of an organization or institution is a daunting task. But for as a future archivist, librarian, or information professional, this competency is not just about the information that you give. It is about how you give it. Being polite, courteous, and most of all, impartial, are also extremely important. I recently had an experience where I asked a reference librarian for some possible titles of books to read and while I understand now, due to my readings in LIBR 220, Reader’s Advisory, it is hard to do, her body language and the way she presented herself, came across as “I do not want to do this”. It made me want to be better at Reader’s Advisory. For me, going into the information profession, I have to be able to find sources for patrons in an efficient manner, but in a way that I will be able to explain to them. It does neither me, nor the institution I work for, anything if I cannot explain something to a patron and they never come back.
While at SJSU, I have taken several classes that deal with reference services. I have taken LIBR 210, which is Reference services where I learned the mass of sources that are out there for research as well as how to do a good reference interview. I have also taken LIBR 256, where we touched briefly on doing reference questions for archives, and finally, I am currently taking LIBR 220, Reader’s Advisory where I am learning to better answer the question “What should I read next?” These classes have given me the tools and knowledge to help patrons or users find the information that they seek.
My schoolwork has not been the only way I have learned and gained knowledge about reference work. I have had several jobs in which I interacted with the public, providing answers as best I could. The hardest of these was working in a large chain grocery store, where I understand how you interact with a person, change the way they see the organization. The most rewarding and challenging work that I have done interacting with the public, is my work at the Manuscripts, Archives, Special Collections (MASC) department at the Washington State University libraries. I have started working at the front desk and I absolutely love being able to talk to students, staff, and community members when they come in asking if we have this type of item in our collection or what currently is on exhibit, etc. I have been able to provide information about what MASC has it in as well as other information that they may not have thought of when asking reference questions.
The evidence I will present here to show that I know and understand the meaning of competency I are two assignments from LIBR 210 reference services and several finding aids that I have written for my job at MASC.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence that I am providing to prove my understanding and knowledge of competency I is an exercise from LIBR 210, reference services. We were given a set of reference questions and we had to answer them. Not only did we have to answer them but we also had to explain how we arrived at our answer. Several of the questions I had a hard time with but in the end I realized I loved doing reference work. One of my favorite questions from this exercise was the first question. It was tough to find because there was not a lot of information to go on, but it kept picking at my brain until one day, I realized I knew exactly what the answer was and it was a song I had heard played as a child. I was one of only a handful of people in the class to find the correct poem/text. This exercise and its subsequent thinking allowed me to provide relevant and accurate information to the “patron”
The second piece of evidence that I am providing is another assignment from LIBR 210, reference services. This assignment was to create a pathfinder that could either be put on the web or printed out to give to patrons as a way to search for more information. Drexel University (2012) defines pathfinders as something “intended to help you get started doing research on a particular topic, both online and at your library”. I did my pathfinder on Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Lorenz Hart. I had to come up with a scope statement but also keyword terms in order to better facilitate patrons in searching for information on these men. In this assignment, it allowed me the creative freedom to research a topic I loved as well as become more familiar with an area in order to have relevant information to provide. I put my pathfinder into a webpage due to the notion that it is something that can be accessed anywhere, including on a smartphone. This allows the patron to have the research tools available to them. Another reason I created a webpage was that unlike paper pathfinders, that are harder to update, webpages are easier. They can also provide links to other places and resources that may have more information (Cassell and Hiremath, 2009, p. 10). Here is a link to the webpage, Sounds of Broadway.
The last piece of evidence that I am providing are several different finding aids that I have created while working at MASC. This including finding aids to small collections such as the Thompson Hall papers to large collections such as the Office of the Chancellor papers. Creating these finding aids has allowed me to write information that is needed in order for researchers to access the information they need. I have learned in writing these finding aids, that there are different ways to put the information on them in order to better provide patrons with information. I have also learned through experience working at MASC what is needed in terms finding aid principals such as who can access the collection and the citation needed for copyright information.
- History 469 Senior Seminar – Thompson Hall papers
- Washington Higher Education Telecommunication Systems records
- Office of the Chancellor, WSU Spokane
- Army Specialized Training Reserve Program collection
Conclusion
I have provided evidence here through answering reference questions, writing a pathfinder, and finally writing finding aids, that I understand and prove that I am competency in using service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users. I also feel that I have the work experience and scholastic knowledge to be able to assist patrons in whatever their information needs may be.
References
Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and information services in the 21st century. (2 ed.). New
York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Drexel University. (2012). Pathfinders. Retrieved from http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/.
Haycock, K. and Sheldon, B. (2008). The portable MLIS: insights from the experts. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
210_burch_katrina_reference_exercise_2.docx | |
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210_burch_katrina_pathfindder.docx | |
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