February 25, 2008
The new concept of 'reference'
The reference is one of the practices library that has evolved with the development of information technology, communication and participation. The consultation desks have expanded their powers and their spaces. The reference service, especially in public libraries, is available to anyone requesting information. The reference library is not what it was, because the media are more and greater resources to learn. Public services digital reference is a way to meet users beyond our buildings and geographies. This is evidenced by Pregunte: las bibliotecas respoden (Ask, libraries respond), which these days is the protagonist of a corporate promotion campaign and has already committed nearly forty thousand questions from its public release in June 2000. The reference is in the process of change and thus believes the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), section of the ALA which brings together professionals from the library services information and referral, which at its meeting on January 14, 2008 approved A new definition of the concepts' transaction reference '(Reference Transactions) and' reference work '(Reference Work). The definitions are the result of the debate emerged on the blog of this entity to delimit the work of reference. Using an unofficial translation, the definition of transactions is reference in this way: "Reference Transactions are information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs. Reference transactions do not include formal instruction or exchanges that provide assistance with locations, schedules, equipment, supplies, or policy statements". Thus, it is determined that user training is not in reference to the questions about services, collections and rules of the library and not be considered as a reference for consultations this partnership. Moreover, the RUSA determined that "Reference Work includes reference transactions and other activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information or research resources, tools, and services". The definition adopted explained that Creation and management of information resources includes the development and maintenance of research collections, research guides, catalogs, databases, web sites, search engines, etc., that patrons can use independently, in-house or remotely, to satisfy their information needs, and that Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation of reference work, resources, and services. New definitions for new ways of providing services old.
---> Automatically translated text by Google Translate. Version without links. See the original post in Spanish in Biblioblog.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Information services | Published: February 25, 2008
July 16, 2005
On-line public referente services
The Catalan journal BID, textos Universitaris de biblioteconomia i documentació has just put on-line its 14 issue. It includes an article about the diferent national reference services offered by several countries, starting from the Library Institutions related to public libraries. In all the cases, a brief comment is made about the developement of the service and the information about the communication system that it utilizes with users: e-mail, chat, etc. Among the mentioned services, it is the Spanish one Pregunte: Las bibliotecas responden (Ask: libraries answer)that was set off in June of 2000, what makes it be one the oldest among that kind of resources.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Information services | Published: July 16, 2005
June 10, 2003
Reference services online
Reference services through the Internet are more and more frecuent. Libraries use the Internet not just as a great information source, but many of them are offering reference services online. Generally speaking, they are forms through which users send their questions to the library, that at the same time send the answers by e-mail. Other system more and more used, is the use of the chat. Through conversation programmes, users ask the professional librarians, who delimits the question and tries to answer at this very moment. In some countries reference services at national level online are being developed, by means of forms or chat. You can know some of these initiatives in te article Pregunte a un bibliotecario: servicios de referencia en línea, published in the number 1, January 2003, of Revista Española de Documentación Científica.
Permanent link: P.URL | Category: Information services | Published: June 10, 2003
