The document discusses the evolution of reference services in libraries. It describes traditional reference models involving in-person librarian assistance and reference interviews. It then discusses moving to more proactive reference services with roaming librarians who provide virtual and embedded support. The document debates whether libraries should maintain a physical reference desk or move to a "Research Assistance as a Service" model with librarians offering remote assistance using new technologies and being embedded within user communities and projects. It concludes by posing debate questions on the best model for reference services at NTU Libraries.

1. Let’s talk Reference (a.k.a. RESEARCH ASSISTANCE)!
Let’s have a conversation…
PD session
5 June 2013

2. Revisiting Reference
A Vision of “Traditional” Reference Service
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Green, S. (1876). Personal relations between librarians and readers. American Library Journal 1 (2‐3), 74‐81.
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Samuel Green provided a seemingly contemporary account of library anxiety ‐many patrons entering a library will experience a certain degree of anxiety, and that librarians need to coax them to “say freely what they want”.
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Green admonished his fellow librarians to “respect reticence,” while being careful “not to make inquirers dependent”.
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He encouraged librarians to embrace personalized customer service.

3. Key components of reference work
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Human‐to‐human interaction ‐a strength of reference
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The reference interview –“…the chief point of the reference encounter is not to find the answer but to identify the question.”
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User education ‐Instruct the reader in the ways of the library.
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Focus on the user –personalised customer service
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Goes beyond methodology and provides a clarity to the mission of reference —the service of patron communities — that is not dependent on how that service is delivered.
Revisiting Reference

4. Key deliverables of reference work
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Effective recommendationof resources, which stems from the cultivation of approachability by the librarian. Assist readers in solving their enquiries.
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The librarian's ability to use reference questions to inform collection development.
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The effective marketingof the library to the community emerging from interacting with patrons. Promote the library within the community.
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The librarian has opportunities to improve the reading preferences of their patrons. Aid the reader in the selection of good works.
Revisiting Reference

5. Measuring outcome and impact of reference work
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What are the best measures?
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An informed user?
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Strong library collection?
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User awareness?
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A ratio based on reference enquiry answered in relation to other library services? An example: One reference enquiry answered to every ten titles circulated –assumes a correlation exists between the two measures.
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Counting reference transactions –what is and what isn’t?
Revisiting Reference

6. Questioning the relevance of reference work
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Competing visions:
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Eliminating the Reference Desk vsChampioning the Desk
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Reference service –a thing of the past? Is traditional reference service obsolete? Revamping reference.
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Are reference desks dying out? Reference beyond (and without) the reference desk.
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What’s wrong with reference? What’s right with reference!
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Where has reference been? Where is reference going?
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Reference as service, reference as place.
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The future role of reference librarians –will it change? Farewell reference librarian.
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Desk or no desk ‐is it as simple as that?
Rethinking Reference

7. Rethinking Reference
Reference desk: R.A.D. Enquiry deskHelp deskReference desk: Ask‐A‐Librarian – Email, chat, skypeHelp deskiFAQ–knowledge databaseRoaming librarian: RealPurposefulTargetedRight time, right placeRoaming librarian: VirtualEmbeddededveNTUreBlogs@NTU
Four dimensions of reference
Static ‐REACTIVE
Roaming ‐PROACTIVE
Online
presence
Physical
presence

8. Reconfiguring Reference
Offering a suite of services: Research Assistance as a Service –RaaS
Is this The New Reference?
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Presumption…
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Librarians are proactive –actively seeking…roaming…real world…online…
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Librarians are mobile and accessible –mobile librarian (not library) service
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Answer reference enquiries
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Provide research consultation
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Be embedded –e‐learning platform, course guides, subject rooms
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Have a foot in research/course/project as a library resource person offering professional advise and research assistance
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Follows up with users –the synergy between research assistance and instructional services. What’s this? Please explain!
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Profile users and users’ needs –offers service to targeted user groups
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Use new media –be where your users are…

9. Reconfiguring Reference
Competencies
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Must librarians now be social, a demonstrable expert and a living professional?
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Diligent and persistent in the investigation of a question?
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Be a skilled reference interviewer?
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What other competencies are crucial now?
QUESTION: Must all reference transactions then be answered by a librarian only?

10. Reconfiguring Reference
Reference desk: R.A.D. Enquiry deskHelp deskReference desk: Ask‐A‐Librarian – Email, chat, skypeHelp deskiFAQ–knowledge databaseRoaming librarian: RealPurposefulTargetedRight time, right placeRoaming librarian: VirtualEmbeddededveNTUreBlogs@NTU
What is the best fit model for NTU Libraries?
Static ‐REACTIVE
Roaming ‐PROACTIVE
Online
presence
Physical
presence

11. Reconfiguring Reference
Reference desk: R.A.D. Enquiry deskHelp deskReference desk: Ask‐A‐Librarian – Email, chat, skypeHelp deskiFAQ–knowledge databaseRoaming librarian: RealPurposefulTargetedRight time, right placeRoaming librarian: VirtualEmbeddededveNTUreBlogs@NTU
The new dimension of reference?
Static ‐REACTIVE
Roaming ‐PROACTIVE
Online
presence
Physical
presence
The New Reference:
Research Assistance
as a Service
RaaS

12. Reconfiguring Reference
Reference desk: R.A.D. Enquiry deskHelp deskReference desk: Ask‐A‐Librarian – Email, chat, skypeHelp deskiFAQ–knowledge databaseRoaming librarian: RealPurposefulTargetedRight time, right placeRoaming librarian: VirtualEmbeddededveNTUreBlogs@NTU
The new dimension of reference?
Static ‐REACTIVE
Roaming ‐PROACTIVE
Online
presence
Physical
presence
The New Reference:
Research Assistance
as a Service
RaaS

13. Reconfiguring Reference
Let’s Debate!
1. There should still be RAD at NTU Libraries.
2. Support staff are expected to answer reference enquiries.
3. We should adopt roaming librarian service.