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Has Google made reference librarians obsolete? Is a golden age of librarianship being ushered in? Technology has had a democratizing effect on the availability of information, but what does this mean for reference services? The future of reference services has yet to be written, and there are both challenges as well as opportunities ahead. A panel of experts will confront these questions from a variety of perspectives including public and academic, front-line and administrative, and adult and young adult. Come and join this timely and thought-provoking discussion. - Presented at the Ohio Library Council Convention & Expo 2014
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T h e f u t u r e......
Reference is Dead!
http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/2013/06/militar-flags-from-howls-moving-castle.html
Long Live Reference!
http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/2013/06/militar-flags-from-howls-moving-castle.html
The Future of Reference Services
http://zebratigerfish.blogspot.com/2013/06/militar-flags-from-howls-moving-castle.html
DonBoozer
KnowItNow24x7
The KING IS DEAD!Long Live the KING!
The KING IS DEAD!Long Live the KING!
Reference IS DEAD!Long Live Reference!
Reference IS DEAD!Long Live Reference!
Reference IS DEAD!Long Live Reference!
Reference IS DEAD!Long Live Reference!
#longliveref
MiriamMatteson
Kent State University
AngelaYoung
Reed Memorial Library
ChrisMay
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
BillMeltzer
Worthington Libraries
MiriamMatteson
Kent State University
Future of ReferenceHow do I want it/us to be?
How do we get there?
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
How do we get there?
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
• Facilitators of conversation that helps create knowledge in our communities
How do we get there?
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
• Facilitators of conversation that helps create knowledge in our communities
• Focused on outcomes
How do we get there?
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
• Facilitators of conversation that helps create knowledge in our communities
• Focused on outcomes
How do we get there?
• Core skill sets, workforce development
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
• Facilitators of conversation that helps create knowledge in our communities
• Focused on outcomes
How do we get there?
• Core skill sets, workforce development
• Boldly and curiously listen, think, analyze, and dream
Future of ReferenceI want it/us to be…
• Full of personal interaction
• Facilitators of conversation that helps create knowledge in our communities
• Focused on outcomes
How do we get there?
• Core skill sets, workforce development
• Boldly and curiously listen, think, analyze, and dream
• Really want to do it!
The future is now.
We are it.
AngelaYoung
Reed Memorial Library
Future of Children’s Referenceperceived by Angela Young
Books or No Books, that is the Question
Is Children’s Reference Dead? Or slowly dying? Reports and Interests Changes
Assist with technology (PowerPoint, Word, Google Images, AR Lists, etc.
Reference Interview Ask open ended questions on assignment Detective work true nature of question
Common Core Standards Interest and needs of informational text.
Books Reference Section in Children’s Informational text Examples
Major problems with Children’s Reference and Solutions
Problems with providing reference in Children’s Teachers Create assignments with obscure scientists or
inventors Books not always available No knowledge of alternate resources
Solutions- Teach how to use databases and homework assistance
websites Provide courses for classrooms and teachers Work with school librarians and teachers
INVENTOR OF THE POST-IT-NOTE
ChrisMay
Mansfield/Richland County Public Library
Chris May’s Thoughts and Rants
Future of Reference
Professional development/continuing ed is NOT:
• A day out of the office
• An excuse to get away from those pesky patrons
• An excuse to get away from management
• “Eh, maybe I’ll learn something. Whatever.”
Professional Engagement
Why did you go for the MLIS or take continuing ed opportunities?
• To learn a career and serve the public?
• Or to get the rubber stamp for the job?
Think back to when you first started…
What was the goal?
Professional Engagement
“I didn’t get my MLIS to work the
desk.”
Kern hears complaints from students that the MLS has “too much theory”
“I am concerned by students’ inability to think critically and connect theory with the practical. I do not believe there is too much theory, but there might be a theory-practice gap.”
The Theory-Practice Gap
How can we initiate EFFECTIVE change within our organizations without knowledge of the theory?
• Guess work?
• Latest fads?
• What’s easiest for staff?
Do these fit our values?
The Theory-Practice Gap
There are two types of change within libraries:
1. Looking at the latest fads and gearing our resources around them. Basically, completely redefining what we do in the hope of “staying relevant”.
2. Looking at our mission and values and seeing how we can promote these in different ways. Change grows from these core values.
Change
Back to Kern- “Libraries risk a lot when they define themselves around changes as an attempt to stay relevant.”
Change can be fun, quirky, innovative, community-centered and still fit the common goals and mission of the library.
Relying only upon the numbers can lead us down a dark path.
Change
Promoting traditional services in new ways.
Databases/Library Catalog
Readers’ Advisory Personalized reading lists. Filled out online and fulfilled via email.
Book Groups
Examples
• Streaming music/video services
• Bestsellers
• Video games
• MakerSpaces
• The newest DVDs at the library
What are we promoting?
Ok, good stuff…but does the staff:
• Promote the research databases?
• Reach out to small businesses?
• Learn the *gasp* print Reference collection?
• Take continuing ed classes?
• Promote the ENTIRE collection?
What are we promoting?
We just don’t get many “real” reference questions at the desk. Why focus on that other stuff?
Look at the increase in traditional services like:
• Personalized readers’ advisory services
• Promoting reading/reference resources through blogs & social media
• Business and investing reference work
• Increase in number of databases to which libraries subscribe
• Homework Help stations
I know what you’re thinking…
I’m almost done. Hang in there.
Joseph Janes (2003) article “What is Reference for?”
History Lesson
Number/variety of information services increased
Increased complexity
Difficulty increases and people cannot find what they’re looking for
All that leads to:
History Lesson
“an increase in the number and diversity of people using libraries…
leading to a wider range of information needs and enquiries
and sophistication with the search for information”
This was the original reason for reference work. Sounds familiar,
doesn’t it?
BillMeltzer
Worthington Libraries
Reference Matters:A Reluctant Eulogy
Bill MeltzerAdult Services Librarian
Six Chix, September 26, 2014. ©Benita Epstein
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,And men have lost their reason.William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar III, ii, 110
Either America will destroy ignorance or ignorance will destroy the United States.
W.E.B. DuBois
Address to the NationDelivered at the second annual meeting of the Niagara MovementHarper's Ferry, West Virginia, 16 August 1900
Time for Questions…
• Please hand in note cards• Twitter: #longliveref
• Buttons
• Twitter: #longliveref
• Discuss at your libraries!
• Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/donboozer• Articles mentioned, readings recommended (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/FutureRefReading
Keep the conversation going…
