LIS 601 Introduction to Reference & Information Services Spring 2013 Dr. Diane Nahl University of Hawaii Library and Information Science Program

1. LIS 601
Introduction to Reference
& Information Services
Spring 2013
Dr. Diane Nahl
University of Hawaii
Library and Information Science Program

2. Professional Experience
 Academic Reference Librarian
 Instruction Librarian
 LIS professor & researcher for 25 years
 Degrees
 BA Psychology
 MLS Library Studies
 PhD Communication and Information Sciences
Nahl LIS 601 2013 2

3. Professor Diane Nahl
 Teaching
 Reference course 601
 Virtual Librarianship 694 (Fall 2012)
 Teaching Information Technology Literacy 665 (Spring 2013)
 Human-System Interaction 677 (Fall 2013)
 Research & Publications
 Information behavior, search behavior, virtual world information
behavior, information literacy, digital literacy, gamification in
education
 Road rage and aggressive driving
 Service
 UH Libraries Information Literacy Committee
 Web Team and ASIS&T faculty advisor
Nahl LIS 601 2013 3

4. 25 Years of
Online User
Information
Behavior
Research
Nahl LIS 601 2013 4

5. Kittens Became Cats!
 Frankie & Lola 2 months old
 3 years old
 15 lbs
 Love chicken,
yogurt, papaya
 Enjoy chasing
each other,
sleeping in
boxes, doing art
with iPad apps,
appearing on 1 year old
Instagram & 3 years old
Nahl LIS 601 2013 5
Pinterest

6. Pounce Painting
Frankie 2012
Nahl LIS 601 2013 6

7. Fundamental Processes and
Concepts in Reference Work
 Thinking in terms of information structure
 Finding sources and specific information
within sources including Web sites
 Thinking of alternate strategies when
searches fail
 Improving interpersonal communication in
reference interviews
Nahl LIS 601 2013 7

8. Reference Librarian’s Mission
 To provide reader (student, user, patron,
client) services
 To serve the intellectual and cultural needs
of the community
 To preserve freedom of access to
information
 Instructing people in information system use
 Providing access to legacy and current print,
online and media resources
Nahl LIS 601 2013 8

9. Big Picture Tech Skills
The Ability To:
 Embrace change
 Test and evaluate new technologies
 Asses the technology needs of library patrons
and staff
 Learn new technologies with ease
 Teach new technologies to others
 Keep up with new trends in technology and
librarianship
 Market ideas for technology to administration
Kane, L.T., 2011, pp. 50-51. Nahl LIS 601 2013 9

10. Active Technology Trends
 Social software & social reading
 Open Source software & Open Access
 Mobile information devices & apps
 Discovery services
 Collaboration tools
 Cloud architecture
 Wireless access & Accessibility
 Streaming media
 Maker Movement technologies
Nahl LIS 601 2013 10
Kane, L.T., 2011, pp. 50-51.

11. 12 Essential Abilities
of Reference Librarians
1. Good interpersonal skills and enjoy
collaborating
2. High tolerance for ambiguity
3. Good interpretive skills
4. Ever-expanding computer literacy
5. Willingness to continually innovate
6. Instruction and design skills
Nahl LIS 601 2013 11

12. 12 Essential Abilities
of Reference Librarians
7. Organizational skills
8. Good memory
9. Inquisitive nature, resourcefulness
10. Wide reading, TV, movies, radio, Web, on
local and world current events
11. Continuous cultural participation
12. Enjoy helping people solve information
problems
Nahl LIS 601 2013 12

13. Never Waste Time Again!
 Everything you know, do, read, study and
participate in contributes to your
knowledge base for reference work
 In that view, from this moment on, nothing
you do is a waste of time!
Nahl LIS 601 2013 13

14. The 21st Century Reference
Librarian’s Responsibilities
1. Provides information on request
2. Assists people with effective search strategies
3. Instructs in research strategies & sources
4. Evaluates, selects & de-selects reference works
5. Creates Web sites, online tools & services
6. Implements new information systems
7. Protects patron privacy, confidentiality &
intellectual freedom
8. Participates in campus &/or community outreach,
institutional policy & strategic planning
Nahl LIS 601 2013 14

15. Librarians Operate Simultaneously
within Three Information Domains
Nahl LIS 601 2013 15

16. 7 Essential Technical Skills
of Reference Librarians
1. Information retrieval methods for print, database, Web.
2. Web-platform information systems, Open Source trend
3. Windows & MAC OS, Open Source trend
4. Email, online discussion lists, RSS, blogs, microblogs, wikis,
cloud computing, social networks
5. Web design, usability & evaluation; mobile device access and
Open Access (e.g., ScholarSpace)
6. Presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Pages, Google
Presentations, Prezi, LibGuides, Screen Capture, instructional
videos)
7. Spreadsheets (Excel, Numbers, SPSS)
Nahl LIS 601 2013 16

17. Pathfinder Project
 Gives you experience creating a tool for
finding information
 Builds your library research skills
Nahl LIS 601 2013 17

18. Pathfinder:
An Information Finding Tool
 Helps people follow a productive path to
information
 Document to guide or help people get
started in searching
 Provides information on a certain topic
 In a particular library or information
environment
Nahl LIS 601 2013 18

19. A Pathfinder
 Lists helpful reference sources, subject
headings & search terms, books, articles,
periodicals, Web sites & other materials
 Not a complete list of all a library has, but
a sample of useful resources
 Has high information value since it helps
people get to materials quickly, with a
short list of important, helpful materials
Nahl LIS 601 2013 19

20. Pathfinder Assignment
1. Choose a partner
2. Choose a topic together
3. Choose an audience together
4. Choose a library together
5. Talk to the librarians about topics for
which they want or need pathfinders
6. Formulate a search strategy together
7. Plan the LibGuide format and design and
collaborate to draft the Pathfinder online
Nahl LIS 601 2013 20

21. Professional Teamwork Skills
 Talk with your partner about each other’s
teamwork strengths
 Discuss some possible topic choices
 Discuss how you will share the work
 Build rapport with your partner by
expressing appreciation to each other for
small accomplishments
 Be respectful of your partner’s time by
being prompt and doing a fair share
Nahl LIS 601 2013 21

22. Purpose of the
Reference Process
 Help people answer their information
questions
 Apply critical thinking to information
retrieval (IR) and information evaluation
 Use information and communication
technologies (ICTs) in serving the needs
of information-seekers, curiosity-seekers,
inspiration-seekers, leisure-seekers and
entertainment-seekers
Nahl LIS 601 2013 22

23. 6 Essential Components
of the Reference Process
1. Find out what information the individual/
reader/patron/user/student/client/person
wants and needs
2. Find the right source(s)
3. Find the right information in the source(s)
Nahl LIS 601 2013 23

24. 6 Essential Components
of the Reference Process
4. Instruct people in the use of sources,
systems and information tools
5. Instruct people in evaluating sources
and avoiding plagiarism
6. Maintain confidentiality and respect
for privacy in information seeking
Nahl LIS 601 2013 24

25. Library Research Skills
 UH Voyager Tutorial
http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/voyager/default.html
 UH Basic Library Research Handbook
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/blrh/
 Other helpful tutorials & guides
http://library.manoa.hawaii.edu/services/instruction/instruction.html
http://www.sinclair.hawaii.edu/help/tutorials/
 LILO: Learning Information Literacy Online
http://www.hawaii.edu/lilo
Nahl LIS 601 2013 25

26. Develop Professionalism: Take
Initiative & Practice Leadership
 Join student groups, participate and hold
office
 ALA, SLA-ASIS&T, HASL, AHA, Nā Hawai‘i ‘Imi
Loa
 Hui Dui, Web Team, Curriculum Committee, etc.
 Invest in your professional knowledge
base
 Take challenging courses
 Do internships
 Attend events by LIS student organizations
Nahl LIS 601 2013 26

27. Due Next Week
 ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS pp. 1-6
 HANDOUTS pp. 2-5
 TEXT CHAPTERS 1, 2, & 3
 VOYAGER Tutorial [If you are not familiar
with Voyager]
Nahl LIS 601 2013 27

28. Due in Two Weeks 1-22-13
 Pathfinder Outline: topic, library, & partners
 Send one email with both NAMES in the
headers--so I can reply to both of you--and on
the subject line (e.g. Chen & Townsend).
 No attachments please, paste the outline
within your message.
 Read HANDOUTS pp. 6-13
 Read SEARCH EXERCISES pp. 2-6
 Read TEXT CHAPTER 8
Nahl LIS 601 2013 28