|
|
Readings
for Week Five: Reference and Information Services
Each IMLS Fellow has been given one article (or two shorter articles)
from a library professional journal. Most of these articles touch
on issues in reference librarianship that have been controversial,
divisive, or in some way challenge tradition or commonly held
notions of what is "true." Others describe current and evolving
reference trends. Please read the article(s) you have been assigned
and come to the class meeting on Thur. March 7 prepared to go
through the three steps outlined below. We will devote just 6-8
minutes to each article, discussing them in chronological order
starting with the Miller piece from 1984. Time is limited, so
be brief in your presentations! Below are guidelines to help you
prepare.
- Summarize the main findings or opinions stated in the article.
Don't read selections from an article; instead, present the
information in your own words. Give a sense of the author's
viewpoint and enough information about what the article discusses
so other fellows who have not read it will be able to respond
to 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, briefly state 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 a question for the other fellows to generate group
discussion. You might choose an assertion made in the article
that could be debated or challenged. Perhaps you disagreed (or
agreed) 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 any of the articles assigned to other fellows.
Tiarra:
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.
d.c.:
Crowley, Terence. "Half-Right Reference: Is it True?" RQ
25 (Fall 1985): 59-68.
Jane:
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.
Rebecca:
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.
Alita:
Frank, Donald G., et. al. "The Changing Nature of Reference and
Information Services." Reference & User Services Quarterly
39 (Winter 1999): 151-157.
Chi Chi:
Campbell, Jerry D. "Clinging to Traditional Reference Services:
An Open Invitation to Libref.com." Reference & User Services
Quarterly 39 (Spring 2000): 223-227.
Matt:
Coffman, Steve and Susan McClmery. "The Librarian and Mr. Jeeves."
American Libraries 31 (May 2000): 66-69.
Oder, Norman. "The Shape of E-Reference." Library Journal
126 (February 1, 2001): 46-49.
<<Return
to Spring 2002 Schedule
|
