Readings
for Week Five: Reference and Information Services
Each intern has been given an article from a library professional
journal (one person has been given two shorter articles); articles
were selected because they touch on issues in reference librarianship
that have been controversial, divisive, or in some way challenge
tradition or notions of what is commonly thought to be true. Please
read the article(s) you have been assigned and come to the class
meeting on Wed. March 7 prepared to go through the three steps
outlined below. We will devote 8-10 minutes to each article, discussing
them in chronological order, starting with the Miller piece from1984.
Below are guidelines to help you prepare your brief presentation.
- Summarize the main findings or opinions stated in the article.
Give us a sense of the author's viewpoint and enough information
about what the article discusses so other interns who have not
read it will be able to respond to and discuss it. If the article
describes research, mention the methodology used and the main
findings. If the article is an opinion piece, describe the most
important viewpoints the author expressed.
- After summarizing the article, tell us briefly your own reaction
to it. Do you think the author is on the right track, or do
you take issue with some of the concepts and opinions stated
in the article? Why do you think the article may have touched
a nerve among practicing reference librarians? If it is an older
article, do you think it is still relevant today? What did you
learn from reading the article that was new to you, or provoked
your own thinking about the subject? What impact do you think
the article had/will have on reference librarianship?
- Prepare two or three questions for the other interns to generate
group discussion. You might choose an assertion made in the
article that could be debated or challenged. Perhaps you might
have disagreed with a particular assertion and want to find
out whether others share your reaction.
Here is the complete list of assigned readings, for those who
may wish to read them.
Natalie:
Miller, William. "What's Wrong with Reference? Coping with Success
and Failure at the Reference Desk." American Libraries
15 (May 1984): 303-306, 321-322.
Maria:
Crowley, Terence. "Half-Right Reference: Is it True?" RQ
25 (Fall 1985): 59-68.
Denise:
Ford, Barbara J. "Reference beyond (and without) the Reference
Desk." College & Research Libraries 47 (September 1986):
491-494.
Ewing, Keith and Robert Hauptman. "Is Traditional Reference Service
Obsolete?" The Journal of Academic Librarianship 21 (January
1995): 3-6.
Camille:
Massey-Burzio, Virginia. "From the Other Side of the Reference
Desk: A Focus Group Study." The Journal of Academic Librarianship
24 (May 1998): 208-215.
Miguel:
Tyckoson, David A. "What's Right with Reference: The Failures
and Successes of Reference Reform." American Libraries
30 (May '99): 57-63
Marion:
Campbell, Jerry D. "Clinging to Traditional Reference Services:
An Open Invitation to Libref.com." Reference & User Services
Quarterly 39 (Spring 2000): 223-227.
Cynthia:
Ross, Catherine Sheldrick and Kirsti Nilson. "Has the Internet
Changed Anything in Reference? The Library Visit Study, Phase
2." Reference & User Services Quarterly 40 (Winter 2000):
147-155.
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