Preserving Pedagogy in Online Reference

Joanne Smyth & Patricia Johnston UNB Libraries, Fredericton, N.B. Canada

Internet Librarian International, London, UK

March 18, 2002

The Reference Interview:Tangible Components

Non-verbal Skills: Gestures Posture Tone of voice Facial expression Eye contactFrom: Jennerich, E. & Jennerich, E. (1987). The Reference

Interview as a Creative Art. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

The Reference Interview: Tangible ComponentsVerbal Skills: Remembering Avoiding premature diagnoses Reflecting feelings Restating/paraphrasing Using encouragers ClosureFrom: Jennerich, E. & Jennerich, E. (1987). The Reference

Interview as a Creative Art. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

The Reference Interview:Intangible Components Success Isolation Style

From: Jennerich, E. & Jennerich, E. (1987). The Reference Interview as a Creative Art. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

LIVE (Library Information in a Virtual Environment)

Synchronous, online reference service Chat + collaborative browsing Using LSSI software (all the bells and

whistles) Transcripts automatically e-mailed at close

of each session

Challenges to Pedagogy in Online Reference User characteristics The ‘culture’ of the Internet The role of the librarian

User Characteristics

High expectations/low patience1

Associate Internet with ease of use2

Individualistic, egalitarian3

Autonomous self-learners3

1 Francoeur, S. (2001). An analytical survey of chat reference services. Reference Services Review 29(3), 189-203.

2 Smith, K.R. (2000). Great expectations, or, where do they get these ideas? Reference and User Services Quarterly, 40(1), 27-31.

3 Wilson, M. (2000). Evolution or entropy? Changing reference/user culture and the future of reference librarians. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 39(4), 387-390.

‘Culture’ of the Internet

No hierarchy, no supplicant/gatekeeper roles1

‘Modified context’ leads to miscommunication and hostile communication, and yet reduces the importance of these2

1 Wilson, M. (2000). Evolution or entropy? Changing reference/user culture and the future of reference librarians. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 39(4), 387-390.

2 Burkell, J. & Kerr, I. (2000). Electronic miscommunication and the defamatory sense. Canadian Journal of Law and Society, 15(1), 81-110.

Role of the Librarian

No longer holding the “franchise as sole proprietors of information at the reference desk” 1

Feeling pressure to perform at speed of Google

1 Wilson, M. (2000). Evolution or entropy? Changing reference/user culture and the future of reference librarians. Reference and User Services Quarterly, 39(4), 387-390.

LIVE Librarian’s Perspective

LIVE User’s Perspective

Our Observations (So Far)

Users are patient, co-operative. Librarians are relaxing, as they become

familiar with the venue. We can teach in this forum. Online

reference is not just for quick answers. Only 57% of sessions include a reference

interview.

UNB Libraries Service Summary

Serves University of New Brunswick and Saint Thomas University

UNB has 9,782 f/t and 2,533 p/t students STU has 2,208 F.T.E. Students

LIVE Summary of Service Oct. 22 – Dec. 6, 2001

Days of service: 28 Number of calls: 46 Average call duration: 12:42 Thank rate: 60%

LIVE Question Types

Reference:Ready reference 4Specific search 22Research 8

Policy/procedural:Access instructions 11Library policy 7

Directional:Physical 1Web sites 0

ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards1. Determine the nature and extent of information needed2. Access needed information effectively and efficiently

3. Evaluate information and sources critically and incorporate into knowledge base and value system

4. Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose

5. Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and access and use information ethically and legally

Association of College and Research Libraries. (2000). Information literacy competency standards for higher education. Chicago, IL: ACRL.

IL Standards Addressed in LIVE

35

48

1 0

19

0

10

20

30

40

50

1 2 3 4 5

Standards Addressed in LIVE

Comparing ACRL Standards:LIVE and Baruch College*

35

48

1 0

1931

86

0 1 4

Standard 1Standard 2

Standard 3 Standard 4

Standard 5

0

20

40

60

80

100

LIVE Baruch College

*Francoeur, S., & Ellis, L.A. (2001) Information Competency Standards in Chat Reference. Paper presented at the 2001 Virtual Reference Desk Conference, Orlando, Fla.

Common Trends

Standards #1 and #2 are most commonly addressed– Determine information need– Access information

Common Trends

Standards #3 and #4 are seldom addressed– Evaluating and incorporating information– Using information effectively to accomplish

a specific purpose– These do not necessarily take place in the

library

Common Trends

Standard #5 is occasionally addressed– We regularly co-browse licensed

databases with students in LIVE, and must explain the procedure for logging in to our proxy server

– Many students inquire about citation styles

Can Online and Face-to-face Reference Be Compared? No great difference between question

types. Cottrell and Eisenberg (2001) used

Eisenberg-Berkowitz Information Problem Solving Model (IPS) (Big 6) to analyze face-to-face reference in an academic setting.

IPS Stages

1. Task definition2. Information-seeking strategies3. Location and Access4. Use of Information5. Synthesis6. EvaluationCottrell, J. & Eisenberg, M. (2001). Applying an information

problem-solving model to academic reference work: findings and implications. College and Research Libraries 62(4), 334-347.

Comparing IPS Stages and ACRL Competencies

IPS Stages Task Definition Info-seeking

strategies Location & Access Use of Information Synthesis Evaluation

ACRL Standards1. Determine information

need2. Access information3. Evaluate & incorporate

information4. Use information for

specific purpose5. Understand info. use,

use ethically & legally

Comparing Online and Face-to-face Reference

Topics frequently addressed include: Task definition, problem definition Developing a search strategy Locating and accessing information

Comparing Online and Face-to-face Reference

Topics rarely addressed include: Information use, analysis, incorporation Synthesis and application Evaluation

Conclusions

The medium does not change the user, the question, or the process.

Higher-level stages are not a part of the reference desk’s sphere of operations, but may be addressed through formal bibliographic instruction.

Reference interview is still essential.