front cover of Conducting the Reference Interview
Conducting the Reference Interview
Catherine Sheldrick Ross
American Library Association, 2019

Based on the latest research in communication theory but tailored specifically for real-world application, this updated manual speaks equally to the needs of students preparing to enter the profession and those who are already fielding reference inquiries. The authors, working in consultation with a stellar advisory board of scholars and practitioners, present a convenient and comprehensive resource that will teach you how to understand the needs of public, academic, and special library users across any virtual setting—including email, text messaging, and social media—as well as in traditional and face-to-face models of communication. Packed with exercises and examples to help you practice effective reference transactions and avoid common pitfalls, this book

  • tackles the fundamentals of the reference interview, from why it’s important in the first place to methods for setting the stage for a successful interview and techniques for finding out what the library user really wants to know;
  • covers the ins and outs of the readers’ advisory interview;
  • examines a wide range of contexts, such as children, young adults, parents, seniors, adults from diverse communities, and those with disabilities;
  • presents case studies of innovative reference and user encounters at a variety of libraries;
  • offers updated coverage of virtual reference, including new research, virtual reality transcripts, and a look at crowd-sourcing reference via social media;
  • features new content on common microaggressions, with guidance on how to use awareness of emotion as a factor in reference interactions to ensure better outcomes;
  • discusses topics such as respecting/protecting privacy, overcoming assumptions, implicit judgment, the importance of context, determining the real information need, and many other lessons learned from challenging reference encounters; and
  • thoroughly addresses policy and training procedures, as well as the unique challenges faced by paraprofessionals and non-degreed staff.

Find your bearings in the continually evolving hybrid reference environment through proven strategies, advice, exercises, and research from three experts in the field.

[more]

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Conducting the Reference Interview
Catherine Sheldrick Ross
American Library Association, 2009

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Desk and Beyond
Next Generation Reference Services
Sarah K. American Library Association
Assoc of College & Research Libraries, 2011

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Implementing Virtual Reference Services
Beth Thomsett-Scott
American Library Association, 2013

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Leading the Reference Renaissance
Marie L. Radford
American Library Association, 2011

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Modern Pathfinders
Creating B Etter Research Guides
Jason Puckett
Assoc of College & Research Libraries, 2015

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Modern Pathfinders
Creating Better Research Guides
Jason Puckett
Assoc of College & Research Libraries, 2015

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Reference and Information Services
An Introduction
Kay Ann Cassell
American Library Association, 2018

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Reference and Information Services
An Introduction
Kay Ann Cassell
American Library Association, 2012

front cover of Reference and Information Services
Reference and Information Services
An Introduction, Fifth Edition
Kay Ann Cassell and Uma Hiremath
American Library Association, 2022
From the ongoing flood of misinformation to the swift changes occasioned by the pandemic, a myriad of factors is spurring our profession to rethink reference services. Luckily, this classic text is back in a newly overhauled edition that thoughtfully addresses the evolving reference landscape. Designed to complement every introductory library reference course, Cassell and Hiremath's book also serves as the perfect resource to guide current practitioners in their day-to-day work. It teaches failsafe methods for identifying important materials by matching specific types of questions to the best available sources, regardless of format. Guided by a national advisory board of educators and experts, this thoroughly updated text presents chapters covering fundamental concepts, major reference sources, and special topics while also offering fresh insights on timely issues, including
  • a basic template for the skills required and expectations demanded of the reference librarian;
  • the pandemic’s effect on reference services and how the ingenuity employed by libraries in providing remote and virtual reference is here to stay;
  • a new chapter dedicated to health information, with a special focus on health equity and information sources;
  • selecting and evaluating reference materials, with strategies for keeping up to date;
  • a heightened emphasis on techniques for evaluating sources for misinformation and ways to give library users the tools to discern facts vs. “fake facts”;
  • reference as programming, readers’ advisory services, developmentally appropriate material for children and young adults, and information literacy;
  • evidence-based guidance on handling microaggressions in reference interactions, featuring discussions of cultural humility and competence alongside recommended resources on implicit bias;
  • managing, assessing, and improving reference services; and
  • the future of information and reference services, encapsulating existing models, materials, and services to project possible evolutions in the dynamic world of reference
[more]

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Reference Renaissance
Current and Future Trends
American Library Association
American Library Association, 2010

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Reinventing Reference
How Public, Academic, and School Libraries Deliver Value in the Age of Google
Vibiana Bowman Cvetkovic
American Library Association, 2014

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The Virtual Reference Service
From Competencies to Assessment - Neal-Schuman Publishers
American Library Association
American Library Association, 2008

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Virtual Reference Training
The Complete Guide to Providing Anytime, Anywhere Answers
American Library Association
American Library Association, 2004

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Virtually Embedded
The Librarian In An Online Env.
Elizabeth Leonard
Assoc of College & Research Libraries, 2014


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