Originally written for my UNT MS-LS ePortfolio, Fall 2025.

Reference professionals help disseminate accurate and reliable information to inquiring users.

Information services in libraries serve the purpose of sharing information with inquiring users. There are many ways users can acquire information, and a simple Google search may satisfy their needs. Information professionals need to add a dose of customer service and expertise to separate libraries from web-crawling search engines. RUSA (2004) provides guidelines for reference providers to share information with users. There are similarities and differences between in-person and remote reference services, but the core is competence and customer service.

A reference librarian should be approachable, visible on campus or a prominently displayed interface on a library’s website. One must show interest in the topic, effectively conduct a reference interview in an easing way, communicate openly about search strategy, and finally provide the answer satisfactorily. If a user needs more information, the interaction starts over with the reference interview. Ultimately, a user should feel confident and satisfied in a provided answer.

Users deserve to feel comfortable seeking information from reference services.

A reference service user seeks information on a topic, and a surprising amount of factors are in play when the reference interaction initiates. A user can be anyone, a working-class adult from a rural background, an international student at a flagship university, or anyone who has access to library services. Motivation for seeking information varies, and accounting for the diversity of humanity is minimum to providing respect and dignity to everyone.

Knoff and Hobscheid (2021) emphasize inclusive experiences and share methods to implement change while working towards a whole-policy revision. Among other details, providing multiple ways to access information like video or audio, adjusting hiring practices to enhance diversity within staff to convey better service to the userbase, and training reference librarians to help users overcome marginalizing aspects of their background. Overall, empathy should be a heavily featured tool in a reference librarian’s strategy.

Ethics are critical to reference services.

Ethics are a core part of the information services profession. Abiding by a standard set of values can help one avoid pitfalls, but there are reported conflicting social ethical concerns versus ethics of information service professionals. According to Deol and Kaur (2020), some of these include accuracy of information, intellectual freedom, rising cost of information, copyright infringement/fair use, and neglect of professional ethics. One should strive to comply with the law, make sensible decisions about when to withhold information as a situation dictates, but generally uphold intellectual freedom.

Reference service users that achieve information literacy will better understand a discipline and be enabled to become experts.

Users that become trained in reference service offerings, such as researching within a database and evaluating authority, develop information literacy, a skill that seems to be developed to varying degrees in members of the public. In a public library sense, a trained user will be able to do their research to find the knowledge they need, and reference staff may be freed up or minimally involved. This will enable reference staff to provide customer service to a user that is unfamiliar with navigating information service offerings. ACRL (2015) provides a framework for training students involved in higher education to think critically about information. Six frames of reference are provided, including the construct of authority, the process of information creation, value of information, research as inquiry, scholarship as conversation, and finally strategic searching. Although this is geared towards higher education, these frames may be relayed to a casual information seeker over time to better understand the information they seek and the world around them.

Leadership is responsible for workplace culture, and a positive workplace culture contributes to better outcomes when serving users.

I am fortunate to be employed by a public library. Contrasting my library with other employers, libraries have an honest mission, are still trusted by the public, and I personally am in the best workplace I have been in. Martin (2020) notes the effect that leadership has on library cultures, and it is an important factor. For personnel to achieve job satisfaction in which they are immersed and energized by their work, the culture must allow for the workflow to enable that. Development of a shared vision, open communication allows for staff input on strategies, and competence demonstrated by leadership will enhance staff satisfaction and trust.

References