Discussion Group on Reference Work Report

The Organisation of Reference Work

submitted by:
Birgitta Fogelvik (co-ordinator)

Reference Services in National Libraries

1. Where in the organisation is the reference department found?
2. Which services are offered?
3. Positive and negative effects?

Reports were received from Austria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK (England and Wales).

This is a short summary of the reports:

1. Where in the organisation is the reference department found?

National libraries with special departments, i.e. rare books, manuscripts, maps and prints, most of them have specialists who answer reference questions in their specialised subject areas. The general reference division refers special subject questions to these specialists. There is usually one reference desk in the library and the special questions are referred to the specialists from the general reference desk.

There are, however, also other organisational structures. The British Library, which is organised into four directorates which each have functional responsibility for aspects of reference work: Bibliographic Services and Document Supply, Reader Services and Collection Development, Science Reference and Information Service and Special Collections covering manuscripts, maps, music, oriental collections, philatelic items etc.

National libraries function sometimes both as national and as university libraries and thus serve both the general public as well as university users. In Denmark, for example, all collections and resources must be adapted to meet the demands of the university library and the national library. In Greenland the national library also functions as a public library and the reference department is accordingly subordinate to the adult division.

It is evident that the reference division is a hub in each library, working in close co-operation with specialists from other departments in order to serve the general public and researchers in the best possible way.

2. Which services are offered?

• specialised reference and information services on all aspects of library and information science
• bibliographic services
• correspondence - responding to letters via mail, fax and e-mail.
• library education programs
• staffing the reference desk
• caring for and updating the reference collections
• providing access to databases, indexes and catalogues
• telephone information services

3. Positive and negative effects

The opportunities opened up by information technology are enormous, for example the access to library systems, special databases etc. Information technology has also facilitated the education and information of the staff involved in the reference work.

Negative effects:
But, on the other hand, as one colleague pointed out in her report, as a negative effect of the development of information technology is its limitlessness: where should one stop as reference librarian? It is possible to spend endless time on learning new programmes and techniques.

Almost all have mentioned the ever increasing demands from users as a problem. There is less time for continuing education programs and always a lack of space for the expansion of computer facilities.

It has been very interesting to study the reports and the organisation of reference work in national libraries. We are, in fact, all facing the same problems over the world. Finally, I would like to paraphrase a colleague who writes that reference work is the most dynamic and intelligence consuming library activity. Besides professional knowledge, the reference librarian needs to have a command of interviewing techniques, communication and pedagogical skills, empathy, and to be self-critical.

This is the very essence of reference work. A copy of all the reports will be sent on request.