CHANGING NATURE OF

REFERENCE AND INFORMATION

SERVICES: SUSTAINABILITY, CAUSE AND

EFFECT

byby

 Haliza Yahaya, Hasnah Abdul Rahim, Nordibradini Selamat and  Haliza Yahaya, Hasnah Abdul Rahim, Nordibradini Selamat and

Norsaniah Md NohNorsaniah Md Noh

Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA,

MALAYSIAMALAYSIA

CONTENT

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

1. Differences between traditional and digital reference

2. Formats of delivering the services with the advantages

and disadvantages

3. Roles of librarians

- Successful services

4. Issues of sustainability

5. Conclusion

- Views and suggestion

OVERVIEW

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

Reference and information services are a

vital part of the function and mission of the

institution in libraries of all types and sizes

Development of computing technology and

the rise of the Internet led to irrevocable

paradigm shifts in the work of library and

information science professionals as well as

changed the nature of reference services

OVERVIEW

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

Views of the future of reference

David Tyckoson (2003) foresaw that there will be an increase in demand for instruction, a decrease in demand for ready reference and a role for librarians in the creation of information as well as in the conservation

Joseph Janes (2003) future reference will focuses less on the answers to specific questions and more on providing assistance and support to people with more detailed, more demanding, more comprehensive information needs of all kinds

James Rettig (2003) Reference desk will be replace with an information consultation room (librarian can work face-to-face with a user and/or where a librarian can work screen-to-screen with remote users

TRADITIONAL VS. DIGITAL

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- In digital or virtual services, patrons can access information anytime

and anywhere

- Use of computer technology in capturing, storing, and providing

information

- Reference conducted online

- Reference transaction is a computer-mediated communication

- Patron could be writing from home, work or a variety of other location

- Uses Internet to connect user with a librarian

FORMAT OF SERVICES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

1. E-mail

First - mid 1980s

simplest and the most common vehicle

works best for ready reference or simple factual questions

require sources and can be stated in an unambiguous way

Advantages:

1. Convenience of asking for information or reference assistant whenever and

wherever

2. More computer answers

3. More time for librarian to think about question, patron’s information needs,

4. Consult with other expert or knowledgeable reference librarians

Disadvantages:

1. User can’t provide better formulated questions,

2. Process of question negotiation via e-mail is rather bulky and time consuming,

3. Difficult to conduct reference interview - written records once sent out

4. Technology obstacles - have to be able to type, write and read, access to a

computer

FORMAT OF SERVICES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

2. Web Forms

using a Web form and e-mail to respond

Advantages:

1. Convenience of asking for information or reference assistant whenever and

wherever

2. More time for librarian to think about question, patron’s information needs

3. Consult with other expert or knowledgeable reference librarians

4. Extends the reach of the service – more people can find it

Disadvantages:

1. User can’t provide better formulated questions,

2. Process of question negotiation via e-mail is rather bulky and time consuming,

3. Difficult to conduct reference interview - written records once sent out

4. Technology obstacles - have to be able to type, write and read, access to a

computer

5. Require access to a Web server (more difficult and costly, and this means a

technician is needed)

FORMAT OF SERVICES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

3. Chat and Instant Messaging

Chat is real-time conversation that takes place on a computer Instant Messaging is real-time internet communication

A supplement to Web form reference

Advantages: 1. Relatively simple to use and have a large installed base2. Quick to learn

3. Allows patron to continue staying online while getting reference assistance Disadvantages:1. More demanding to provide2. Performed away from the physical reference desk - need to hire additional personnel3. Lack the physical clues of expression and body language4. Accuracy and time consume in responding to the questions 5. Incompatible between the software and proprietary databases, 6. High need for multitasking skills to handle multiple question and resources at a time7. Low speed modem connection

FORMAT OF SERVICES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

4. Videoconferencing

One- or two-way direct visual communication Allowing the inquirer to see the librarian or each other

Advantages:

1. Able to see those nonverbal things or messages

2. Allows for interaction to support the clarification of inquiry

3. More personalized setting

Disadvantages:

1. Low level of utilization by users - Do not own the equipments and software necessary

2. Large expense for equipment and software

3. Problem with the bandwidth when video conferencing is available

4. Self-consciousness on the part of the users to being visible on screen

DIGITAL REFERENCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- New requirement for Information Professionals

- demonstrate the importance and effect of understanding

audiences, using new emerging tools and to work cooperatively

- Effort to keep current with the pace of technology and tools can

redirect focus from services and patrons to tools and make the

process of gathering information and assessing tools to arrive at

an informed decision more difficult

DIGITAL REFERENCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- Challenges

1. Technology

2. Technical Standards

3. Quality Standards and Best Practices

4. Question Negotiation

5. User Authentication

6. 24/7 Hours of Services

7. Staff Development and Training

8. Privacy and Confidentiality in Digital Reference

ROLES OF LIBRARIAN

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- Although user can get the needed information using those technologies,

users still faced difficulties (1) to understand that all information are not

the same, and (2) that search engines and question-answering systems

do not always supply accurate or complete information

- Librarians must make their resources and services as easy to use as

these simplified online portals

- Proactive – offer changes, welcome and promote

- Tyckoson (2003)

- Librarian should become information generators rather than

information conservators

ROLES OF LIBRARIAN

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- Joseph Janes (2003)

1. evaluation and quality of information sources,

2. sophisticated tools and techniques for searching,

3. understanding the nature of users, their communities, their needs

and situation,

4. computing and organizing and packaging information resources for

their use, helping them to understand how to help themselves and

how to use and evaluate information

- Development and delivery of appropriate information literacy training

- Be lifelong learners themselves

CONCLUSION

Haliza Yahaya, UiTM, Malaysia 2009

- Should we fail to take the mutation of our environment, we will relegate our librarians to obsolesce.

- Important for us to recognize the direction in which we are traveling, anticipating not just particular changes, but also the fact of change itself.

- If we hope to stay vital, we should change with our discipline. Growing as it does.

- We must deal with change as it happen by adopting new procedures, new working group and new lines of communication.

- Professionals developments – technical and training requires continuous support.

- Future of libraries in general hangs on what we do in the next few years.

- We could become a vital and energetic part of the information lives of our communities.

- We could do all these things and more and we should. We must. When we do, that is when will we truly succeed (Janes 2003).

Thank you for listening