Don’t Just Turn It Off
& Back On Again

How Library IT Workers Can
Use Reference Skills on the Job

Callan Bignoli • @eminencefont

Emily Ferrier • @emilycr0w

Whitni Watkins • @_whitni

Robyn York (moderator) • @BFHSlibrary

 

Intros

Who are we?

What is the Reference Interview?

A conversation between a librarian and a library user in which the librarian responds to the user's initial explanation of their information need by first attempting to clarify that need and then by directing the user to appropriate information resources.

Parts of the Reference Interview

1. Establishing rapport
2. Determining the question
3. Developing a strategy & communicating it to the user
4. Closing the interview
5. Following up

1. Establishing rapport
2. Determining the question
3. Developing a strategy & communicating it to the user
4. Closing the interview
5. Following up

Establishing rapport

Strategies

Collaboration

Following up

Q&A

Recap: Strategies

• Listen actively
• Empathize with tech ability
• Be mindful of time - evaluate immediacy of need & desired depth of information
• Get familiar with unfamiliar topics

Recap: Workflows

• Defining the need together
• Researching & presenting solutions
• Partnering with end users to create better tools
• Group and one-on-one instruction