This article was downloaded by: [Fondren Library, Rice University ]On: 21 November 2014, At: 08:04Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK

The Reference LibrarianPublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wref20

Master Reference Librarians fora New AgeJoann Devries a & Patricia M. Rodkewich aa St. Paul Campus Central Library, University ofMinnesota , USAPublished online: 20 Oct 2008.

To cite this article: Joann Devries & Patricia M. Rodkewich (1997) Master ReferenceLibrarians for a New Age, The Reference Librarian, 28:59, 203-214, DOI: 10.1300/J120v28n59_21

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J120v28n59_21

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all theinformation (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform.However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness,or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and viewsexpressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of theContent should not be relied upon and should be independently verified withprimary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for anylosses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages,and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly orindirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of theContent.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan,

sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone isexpressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found athttp://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

Master Reference Librarians for a New Age:

A Study of Characteristics and Traits JoAnn DeVries

Patricia M. Rodkewich

SUMMARY. In 1990 the authors conducted interviews with "Mas- ter" reference librarians in an effort to determine if these librarians shared traits which could be used to predict success in the field of rcference librarianship. From these interviews a list of eight shared characteristics was developed. In the six intervening ycars, reference collections and reference work have changed grcatly and the authors began to wonder if the list of characteristics remained valid in the electronic reference world. Interviews with "New Age Masters" were used to determine which characteristics were still valid and to identify any new traits needed to succeed. The librarians were also asked to speculate on the hture of reference librarianship. [Arficle copies available for a fee frnm Tlte Hawortlt Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: gefinjo@/~aworth.cont]

The authors of this paper have, in combined service, nearly fifty years of experience as reference librarians. Over the course of these years we

JoAnn DeVries is Associate Librarian and RefercncelBibliographer. and Patri- cia M. Rodkewich is Associate Professor and Librarian, ReferenceIBibliographer, St. Paul Campus Central Library, University of Minnesota. E-mail: j-dew@ tc.umn.edu and p-rodk@tc.umn.cdu

[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: "Master Reference Librarians for a New Age: A Study of Characteristics and Traits." DeVries, JoAnn, and Patricia M. Rodkewich. Co-published simultaneously in The R<Jkwce Librarian (The Haworth Press. Inc.) No. 59, 1997, pp. 203-214; and: Pi~ilo.ropities of ReJ21wtce Service (ed: Celia Hales Mabry) The Haworth Press, Inc., 1997, pp. 203-214. Single or ~nultiple copies o f tliis anicle are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [I -800-342-9678, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail addrrss: geti~ifo@liawoltll.coml.

O 1997 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 203

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

204 PtiILOSOPIIIES OF REFERENCb,‘ SERVICE

have worked with or met niany fine rcfcrcncc librarians. Thcrc were a fcw people who stood out and were regarded as more than just fine librarians, recognized by both colleagues and patrons as exceptional libmrians.

We began to think about these librarians-to speculate on what madc them so outstanding, made them “Masters” of their chosen profession. Did these professionals have characteristics in common which could bc identified? Would it be possiblc to predict success in the field of reference librarianship’! How could we find out? We decided to let these librarians tell us themselves. We identified a group of them, met with each one, and asked them to describe themselves in relationship to their work. We looked for common traits that could be used to predict success. From thcsc inter- views we were able to list eight cliaracteristicsitraitsitalelits held in com- mon.

Seven years have passed since that first interview project, and thcy have been eventful years in reference units. The whole reference scene has changed. Instead o f a reference desk surrounded by books, wc now find a reference desk surrounded by tcrminals. We all spend more tiiiie typing than we do flipping pages. Ncw questions come to mind. What do thcsc changes mean in terms of the refercncc librarians-what does it take to be an outstanding rcfcrence librarian in the electronic reference world? Has it changed? Are other traits required for success? Is the original list produced in 1990 still valid?

To find out wc dccidcd to, once again, conduct loosely structured con- versations with “Masters,” only this time we termed them “New Age Masters.” These New Agc Masters have exhibited the samc level of ex- ceptional referencc abilities as the previous Masters, but have, in addition, successfully exhibited the same mastery of the new tcchnologies as thcy do the traditional reference tools. We included in the “New Age Masters” some reference librarians who had no need to incorporate the electronic sources into their work since they entered the profession at the same time the sources did and have always lived and worked in an electronic envi- ronment.

METHODOLOGY

For the 1990 study all the librarians interviewed were from the Minne- apolisiSt. Paul metropolitan area. This area offers a wide selection of types of libraries and many professional reference librarians.

In order to obtain our pool of Masters we asked reference librarians from college, university, public and special libraries to identify people thcy believed to be outstanding professionals. We felt the inost critical and

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

The Pei:vo,ia/ Eleiiienr 205

correct judges of excellence would be those who were experienced in rcference work. The study concentrated only on reference and did not investigate other areas such as administration or technical services.

The responses we obtained strengthened our belief that these, indeed, were the proper people to approach. No one was taken by surprise by our request. Every person contacted understood exactly what sort of librarian was being solicited and often immediately had someone in mind. Each was able to identify one or more reference librarians thcy would call Masters. Sometimes the librarians identified were co-workers and others were from other libraries.

We compiled a list ofpeople who had been recommended at lcast twice. The nine Masters selected for interviews were from a mix of types of libraries and represented as broad a range of ages as possible. It included three librarians who worked in special libraries, three university librarians, two college librarians and one public library librarian. Three were retired and the rest varied from those in mid-career to those approaching retire- ment. They, too, were aware that there was something which separated the “cxtraordinary” from the “ordinary” and were willing to help explore what it was.

The follow-up 1996 survey was drawn from a wider pool of candidates. We were seeking a more representative sampling and to increase the num- her of persons interviewed. We expanded our rescarch for the New Age Masters beyond the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area to a variety of types of libraries located in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin. Wc sent letters to 90 heads of libraries, public service units, or reference units from a cross section of types and size of libraries: medium and large public libraries, liberal arts colleges, and large academic research libraries. There were no special libraries in this second study.

These letters asked for the names of reference librarians who met our criteria and were agreeablc to being interviewed. Thc criteria wc specified was that these librarians be outstanding reference librarians who showed an unusual ability to adapt to and incorporate the new electronic systems into their reference work. We also specifically asked for younger librarians who had no need to adapt but who showed the same kind of excellence in refcrcncc.

Wc selected 16 names and werc able to arrangc telephone interviews with 15 librarians. Tlic interviews generally lasted about one hour. All those interviewed were given an outline of questions we wanted to cover. However, the conversations were free ranging beyond those initial ques- tions.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

206 PHILOSOPHIES OF REFERENCE SERVICE

The two sets of interviews had a somewhat different focus. In 1990 our research question was: did these Master librarians share a set of personal traits or characteristics that could be used to predict success in rcference librarianship? The 1996 question was: does success in reference librarian- ship in the electronic age require different traits or talents other than those identified in the 1990 study?

FINDINGS FROM THE 1990 INTERVIEWS

Thc 1990 interviews concentrated on the personal traits/talents/charac- teristics of the librarians. They were asked to describe themselves in rela- tion to their work and to identify whatever it was that they felt made them excellent reference librarians. We also asked them to tcll us if they felt these were learned traits or were they innate. The response of the majority of these librarians was that they did not believe that these are traits that can be learned. You either have them or you don't.

You cannot teach someone to bc curious. . .

The following is a list of eight traits shared by thc Masters and identi- ficd by them to be important to their success. Some of the characteristics were named by thc authors as a collective title which drew together vari- ous terms used by the Masters.

Approachability

The Masters felt that an absolutely vital trait for a reference librarian is approachability. The nost difficult thing for thc patron to do is to approach the librarian and ask for hclp. If the librarian is not approachable the question is never asked. This was a very strongly held opinion of thc Masters and often the first thing mentioned in the discussions.

One quality above all that makes a pcrson outstanding is approach- ability.

Another trait they shared was curiosity. This curiosity allows them and perhaps, more accurately, makes them eager to go wherever a question leads them. They did not placc limits on curiosity: Their interest could bc

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

The Persorral Eletnetrt 207

piqued by any question whether or not they had prior knowledge of, or a previous intercst in the subject.

. . a curiosity that won't quit.

Although the term itself was nevcr used, it was identified as a vital trait. They expressed it as taking on the patron's information needs as their own. They described approaching a question as a partner: The patron's problem becomes their problem and the solution to the problem becomes their own solution.

I start to think of it as my problem.

It was interesting to learn that for the most part, the Masters were never concerned with why a question was asked. It did not matter if the patron was a student, businessman, child, etc. They took each question as it came and worked just as hard on a quiz question as a research question.

Nothing is too trivial.

Persistence

The Masters were all very persistent. They spoke of following a question until the answer is found. Some worked on a question long after the patron had left and they might return to a patron wceks aAer the initial contact.

An unanswered question just would not leave my mind.

This word was never actually used by the Masters themselves, but it was evident that these librarian rose to a challenge. The competitive spirit expresses itself in conquering ideas, tracing leads, and finally, finding a solution. The competition is between librarian and question. This is a game the Master has to win.

. . . the thrill of the chase.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

208 PHILOSOPHIES OF REFERENCE SERVICE

Logical Thought Putterris

The logical thinking trait allows the librarian to follow leads from one place to another. The proverbial reference librarian as a detective solving a mystery is actually an important component. Thcy enjoy the intellectual challenge they experience doing reference work and have found the an- swer because the patron needs it, but it is the actual process followed which many times scems to intrigue the librarian. A puzzle needs to be solved and the clues are there, but it takes an orderly process to follow them.

You are getting little clues which are directing you to other places.

Intuitive

Logic carries the Master only so far. Sometimes something more is needed when a gap appears in the logical process of finding an answer, the best of the best are able to leap over to the answer.

difficult to say why one thing leads you to another.

The Masters were divided into two groups by their personal philosophy of reference service. About half were motivated first and foremost by the needs of the patron. The desire to satisfy the patron, to help the patron, causcs the librarian to work very hard to find the answers. The other half of the group is motivated primarily by the intellectual challenge they personally feel during the pursuit of the answer. The thrill of the chase inspires them. As strongly as each group fclt about their primary motivat- ing factor, they did not dismiss the importance of the other point of vicw. Both produce the same result. The patron has his answer and the librarian has the satisfaction of a job well done.

THE 1996 INTER VIEWS

These interviews focused on the same questions as the 1990 interviews with the addition of a question on the role technology plays in today's reference librarianship. Each librarian was asked to describe her traits or characteristics and then to discuss the effects these traits had on her work as a reference librarian. To be sure that the same traits were covered, the last question presented to the New Age Masters was to rate themselves as

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

The Personal Elemerrl 209

"somewhat," "medium," or "strongly" possessing the characteristic named. The list of characteristics presented was the list developed during the 1990 interviews.

Approachability

All 15 of the librarians interviewed spoke of how important it was to be approachable. They all had a very strong sensc that reference work is service and patrons would not use the service if they felt in any way threatened by the librarian or lack of welcome by the librarian. When rating themselves for thc last question of the interview all but two rated themselves as strongly approachable.

Service is the key piece of the philosophy.

Curiosity

The librarians spoke often during their self-description of personal characteristics about their curiosity and their love of learning new things. A question that led into new territory was a pleasure for them because it allowed them to explore a new area. In the sclf-rating question, 13 re- sponded that this was a strong characteristic for them; one responded moderate, and'the other moderate to strong.

The New Age Masters were strong in this trait. Only three described themselves as moderate42 said they strongly held this characteristic.

I try to identify with the user.

The response to the question listing the traits of the 1990 Masters showed a difference between the two groups. Nine of the fifteen librarians in the New Age Masters group rated themselves as in the middle range in this trait. Only six responded as strong. Some comments were made indi- cating that it was with some regret that they could not rank themselves as strong in this area, but they could not do so. Some did comment that they did not ever show to the patron that they were having a problem with the

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

210 PHILOSOPHIES OF REFERENCE SERVICE

question, but admitted that a judgment about the value of thc question did sometimes have an affect on the amount of time spent working on the question. But as the following quote shows some did regard it as an important trait.

Respect people and their reason for wanting information.

Persistence

Twelve people rated themselves as strong in this area. This trait got some very strong responses, not just "strong." Two librarians said that they thought they were "middle" in possessing this trait and one was "middle to strong."

. . . don't give up.

Logical Thought Patterns

Again this trait was strongly held by most (twelvc) of the librarians. Two ranked themselves as "moderate" and one was "moderate to strong." One interesting comment on this came from a librarian who told us that when the Internet came into being he immediately identificd with it because it was exactly how his mind works. He describes himself as having a hypertext mind. He was one who ranked himself as a moderate in logical thought patterns.

Intuitive

This was the second lowest ranked trait. The group was split just about in half-half strong and half moderate. Five of the New Age Masters identified themselves as both strongly logical and intuitive. If logic fails they have a backup.

Additional Traits Needed

The interviews in 1996 with the New Age Masters did result in identi- fying two new traits which should be added to the list of traitskharacteris- tics needed for success in reference librarianship. We see a logical connec- tion between the growth in electronic tools and the changes in the reference unit and the new traits.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

In 1990 the librarian's world was still pretty much the reference desk surrounded with books. The only electronic tools in widespread use were database indexes. Librarians did use these databases, but refercncc ques- tions were answered by using the books in the collection. There wcre on-line catalogs but n~ostly each library's own was all that was available. We had OCLC and RLIN, but neither one was out there for thc public as they are now. In other words it was pretty much a controlled world that we worked in. Maybe it would be more accurate to say from the patron's point of view that it was a more limited world we offered.

Now, with the advent of hundreds of electronic choices sitting next to our desks and many more available remotely we are overwhelmed with choices. This would not be so bad except that there is no standardization for these tools. If you search five databases one might be using fivc different systems. When we use the Internet we are guessing that some- thing might be there. Hundreds of new addrcsscs are added daily to the Internet. How can one keep up with everything?

The logical result of this new work environment was the addition of two new traits. The New Age Masters told us that librarians must now be flexible. The library world has changed so much that a person who is not flexible will not be able to keep up. By adding the trait to the list they are also telling us that they do not see an end to the amount of change we should expect to see.

The second new trait is the ability to work with others, to collaborate with colleagues. Neither of these traits was mentioned in 1990. Reference librarianship has changed. It is no longer a one-person job. It is too big and too unpredictable. We need to work togcthcr, and we need to develop and share expertise if we are to be successful.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

One of the findings we were seeking was a statement on technical skills. In the change from a "Book-Based" environment to an electronic environment wc necd to know if the characteristics of the Ncw Age librari- an are now different. Are different traits or characteristics needed for reference librarian success? In all cases the interviewees' response to this question was a resounding "NO!" According to our New Age Masters who already excel in using these tools, what one needs to fold the new technologies into their work pattern are the same characteristics they now have. They spoke of curiosity and persistence and logic as the traits which made them delve into the new tools. Their motivation was service. How to best serve the patron was uppermost on their midds. If an electronic tool

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

212 PHILOSOPHIES OF REFERENCE SERVICE

would do the best job, then that was the tool they would use. If a book did the best job, then that was their choice. They saw no problems with any of it. The tools have changed, the unit has changed, but the librarian remains the same.

Personal traits lead to technical skills.

OTHER FINDINGS

Teaching has become more of a focal point. It does not seem to matter if one is working in a small public library or a large university library: The feeling exprcssed by these librarians is that they must teach their patrons how to conduct their own searches for information. Although not looked for as an outcome of the interviews, it makes sense given the changing environment. The reference librarians are no longer seeing themselves as providers of a specific piece of information. Theyare now facilitators; they are guides. Some of this stems from the wealth of materials available and the inability of the librarian to maintain the same high scrvice levels, but some of it might be the result of an expectation that remote access means not nearly as much face-to-face contact with patrons in coming years.

. . . try to teach self sufficiency.

THE FUTURE OF REFERENCE LIBRARIANSHIP

The interviews in 1996 did attempt to look into the future. We asked each librarian to comment on the reference library of the future. What will it look like? Most were reluctant to answer; they do not have a clear vision of what the referencc unitllibrary of the future will look like.

A total waste of time (to speculate)-too many factors.

For the most part they did believe that the library would still exist and no one predicted that there would not libraries in the future. They saw an even greater need for information in the future and thought that librarians would be the ones best suited to provide for this need.

Librarians are going to come into their own in the twenty-first century as experts other pcople know that they nccd.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

The Personal Elernenf

Some saw competition for that job, though.

I am not sure that there is a long tcrm future in the reference desk. We haven't seen anything yet as far as computer systems go.

I noticed the other day a Web site offering reference answers- % 1.99.

If the reference desk does continue to exist, what will you find there?

Reference library will be different.

No more (additional) staff coming to work in the library.

Will not be so place-centered as we are now.

Reference will have to be a content provider.

Less traditional desk.

What about in library use and remote use?

Will have to provide more remote support.

Need to improve (keep) our political base.

Assist patrons in their own place of work.

More appointment/consultant work.

Might separate remote reference from in-house.

Helping people manage their own information.

What other changes arc seen or will be needed?

Good communication skillsspeaking and writing-needed.

Repackaging.

Content providers.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014

PHILOSOPHIES OF REFERENCE SERVICE

More expectations of librarians.

Develop a set of skills and convince people that we have them and offer some value above and beyond what they can get from some database, etc.

Have to define the role ourselves.

Become a producer of information.

Share resources.

CONCLUSIONS

Responses from the New Age Master reference librarians confirmed that the same traits/characteristics identified in the 1990 intcrviews as predictors of success in reference work are still valid in the electronic reference world. The exccption was the trait of being non-judgmental. This trait seemed to be less important than it was in 1990. Two other traits have surfaced during the 1996 interviews and have been added to the list of traits which could predict success in reference librarianship. Traits important in thc electronic reference environment arc flexibilityladaptabil- ity and thc ability to collaboratelwork with othcrs. The complete list of dcsirable traits now reads: to be approachable, to be curious, to have empathy, to be persistent, to have logical thought pattcms, to be intuitive, to be flexibleladaptable and to have the ability to collaboratelwork with others.

The New Age Masters acknowledged that no special traits other than the ones listed are necessary to be able to adjust to, and become expert users of the electronic reference tools.

The New Age Refcrence librarians sec themselves as teachers, facilita- tors and shapers of information rather than finders of information. Therc is also a hint of becoming makers of information. What changes will occur in the next six years? We predict that we cannot predict-only time will tell.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

Fond

ren

Lib

rary

, Ric

e U

nive

rsity

] a

t 08:

04 2

1 N

ovem

ber

2014