LAR3652

Reference principles and practice

A Davis

6 points
* 3 hours per week
* First or second semester
* Clayton
* Prohibition: LAR4652

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students should be able to assess user needs and understand the factors affecting user behaviour in a variety of organisational settings; understand the relationship between user education and direct information provision; advise on the availability and quality of information resources; demonstrate effective strategies for searching a variety of core electronic information products using common user interfaces where provided; know when and how to use the reference interview to satisfy requests for information; be aware of the ways in which reference service is evaluated and understand the strengths and weaknesses of each method; be aware of the ethical and legal responsibilities of information professionals.

Synopsis This subject examines the provision of reference and information service in a variety of academic, school, organisational and public library settings, as well as those in information centres within business and the community. Several means of service delivery are considered, including face-to-face mediated service, electronic reference service and indirect methods such as simplification of the information environment through the provision of common user interfaces. The information needs and information-seeking behaviour of a variety of user groups are considered, and the process of satisfying needs either through the reference interview and the application of skilled search strategies or through the provision of indirect methods such as guides and online instruction is explored. Relevant communication and learning theory is introduced in order to better convey the complexity of the processes involved. Issues of importance to the profession are examined, including the varying importance accorded user education, encouragement of user independence and promotion of information literacy in educational compared with business settings. Students will have opportunities to concentrate on a setting of their choice and to complete specialised assignment work. Methods of evaluating reference service and its constituent parts are examined critically. Throughout the subject attention is drawn to the professional responsibilities of information workers in a field experiencing rapid change in publishing technologies.

Assessment Practical exercises: 25%
* Project/group work: 25%
* Examination: 50%

Recommended texts

Katz W A Introduction to reference work 7th edn, McGraw-Hill, 1997
Bopp R E Reference and information services 2nd edn, Libraries Unlimited,1995