Reference Interview Skills for Academic Libraries

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Reference Interview Skills for Academic Libraries

• Instructor
• Dave Tyckoson
• davety_at_csufresno.edu
• An Infopeople Workshop
• Winter 2007/2008

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Workshop Overview

• Why reference interview?
• behavioral guidelines
• Approachability
• Communication issues
• verbal
• nonverbal
• Tips and techniques for success

Reference Interview Skills for Academic Library
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Academic Community

• Students
• undergraduate
• graduate
• Faculty
• Staff/Administration
• Alumni
• Unaffiliated users

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Evaluation Methods

• Unobtrusive
• 55 rule
• Obtrusive
• Willingness to Return
• Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program
  (WOREP)
• worep.library.kent.edu/

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ALA/RUSA Behavioral Guidelines

• www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/
• referenceguide/guidelinesbehavioral.cfm

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Behavioral Guidelines

• Approachability
• Interest
• Listening/Inquiring
• Searching
• Follow-up

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Approachability Hierarchy

• Approachable Behaviors ( Selected)
• Standing and Eye Contact 90
• Helping Another Patron 12
• Standing and Writing 11
• Sitting and Eye Contact 10
• Using the Computer 10
• Reading 5
• Talking on the Phone 1

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Remote Approachability

• Is your phone tree easily navigable?
• Can your users find your service?

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Telephone Reference

• Serving remote users since the 1920s
• More limited application than in-person reference
• Barriers
• Telephone trees
• Voice mail
• Answer the damn phone!

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Online Approachability
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Verbal Communication

• Words
• Tone
• Listening and questioning skills

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Reassuring Statements

• Reassuring statements
• Let the patron know that they have come to the
  right place
• Yes, we have that kind of information.
• Sure, we have academic journals.

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Open-ended Questions

• Open-ended questions
• Broaden the search
• Gather more information
• Can you tell me more about your topic?
• What about insert subject here would you like
  to find?

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Closed-ended Questions

• Closed-ended questions
• Narrow the search
• Specify limits to the search
• Do you want books or journals?
• Is this for an assignment?
• Do you want current or historical data?

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Neutral Questions

• Neutral questioning
• Avoid judgmental statements
• What do you want that for?
• Have you looked in the catalog?
• Why do you want that information?

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Restating the Question

• Restatement of the search query
• Reflect back to the patron
• Ensures good communication
• So you are looking for the effect of abc on xyz
  during the twentieth century. Is that correct?

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Nonverbal Communication

• Facial expressions
• Gestures
• Posture
• Confidence/hesitancy
• Accompanying materials
• Belonging to the community

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Follow-up

• Go back to your users
• Acknowledge the users
• Ask if they are satisfied

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Roving Reference

• Go where the users are
• Walk around
• Reach out electronically

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Chat/Instant Messenger

• Use frequent short communication
• Be aware of computer problems
• Push as little as possible
• Pick up the phone when necessary

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Tips and Techniques

• Involve the user
• Engage the user
• Reference is a dialog
• Discussion, not interrogation

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Tips and Techniques

• Get off your butt
• (or out of the chat box)
• Take the user to the source
• Roving reference
• Provide the service where the users are

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Tips and Techniques

• Instruct and assist
• Be part of the learning process
• Show the user how to search
• Explain the tools that you use
• Dont feed the user a fish, but teach the user to
  fish

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Tips and Techniques

• Follow up whenever possible
• Ask if they have found what they wanted
• Suggest additional sources/search terms
• Acknowledge that you helped them
• Follow-up has the highest correlation to positive
  patron satisfaction

Reference Interview Skills for Academic Library
Staff