UNIT 4 REFERENCE SERVICE

Structure
4.0 Learning Outcomes
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Reference Service: Concept
4.3 Need and Purpose of the Reference Service
4.4 Components of the Reference Service
4.4.1 Acquiring, Organising and Maintaining Information Sources
4.4.2 Answering Reference Queries
4.4.3 Providing Reader’s Advisory Service
4.4.4 Information Literacy
4.4.5 Selecting and Evaluating Print and Electronic Information Resources
4.4.6 Creating Finding Tools and Websites
4.4.7 Promoting the Reference Service
4.4.8 Evaluating the Reference Service

4.5 Different Modes of Providing Reference Service

4.5.1 Face-to-Face Reference Service
4.5.2 Reference Service through Telephone
4.5.3 Virtual Reference Service

4.6 Relevance of the Reference Service in the Digital Era

4.7 Reference Queries
4.7.1 Directional Queries
4.7.2 Procedural Queries
4.7.3 Basic Reference Queries
4.7.4 Research Queries
4.7.5 Bibliographic Verification
4.7.6 Reference Queries and Information Sources

4.8 Summary
4.9 Keywords
4.10 Answers to Self Check Exercises
4.11 References and Further Reading

4.0 LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this Unit, you will learn about the concept of reference service provided to the
users in the libraries. After reading this Unit, you will be able to:
 discuss the concept and meaning of reference service;
 explain the importance of reference service;
 describe the work and the activities, which are carried out in providing
reference service;
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 identify various types of reference queries handled by the reference staff; and Reference Service

 highlight about the impact of information and communication technologies on

the reference service.

4.1 INTRODUCTION
When you visit a hospital, bank, or any other public place you feel happy and
comfortable when somebody is readily available to help or guide you. You can
avail of the services easily and satisfactorily. Similarly reference services are provided
in libraries to help the readers in making use of library facilities. For example the
readers visiting a library may not know the location of different sections of the
library, how to consult an OPAC and retrieve information from it, whether a
particular journal or database is subscribed by the library or not. In such a situation,
it is the duty of the library staff to help the readers by providing the relevant
information. So, reference service is providing relevant and timely information to
help the readers.
The libraries are service-oriented institutions. They exist to acquire, collect, organise
and disseminate information, which is contained in different documents-print, audio,
video and digital. The libraries acquire different documents, process them and
make them available to the readers for use. They prepare and maintain tools like
catalogue, shelf list, bibliographies to facilitate the use of books and other material
by the readers. The libraries intend to convert potential visitors into the regular
users. In order to achieve this, a human agency is needed to tell the users about
the various resources and services offered by the libraries. The human agency or
the staff of the library offers help to the readers in the form of reference service.
Samuel Green, the librarian of the Worcester Free Public Library in Massachusetts,
introduced the concept of reference service when he suggested that the librarian
should assist the user in the selection of books. (Genz, 1998). Since then, the
concept of reference service has evolved a lot. The term ‘reference service’ now
denotes a wide range of activities undertaken by the library staff to promote and
ensure use of collections and services offered by them.
In this Unit, we will learn the meaning of reference service. We shall also dwell
upon the factors, which necessitate reference service. This Unit shall also covers
the wide range of activities that are undertaken for providing reference service.
This Unit will also describes on the types of queries, which are handled by the
reference staff.

4.2 REFERENCE SERVICE: CONCEPT

Reference service, is the process of helping readers to identify sources of information
in response to a particular query, problem or assignment to be done.
Following are some of the definitions of reference service given by the various
experts.
Ranganathan has defined reference service as a personal service to each reader
in helping her/him to find the document, answering the particular query, pinpointedly,
exhaustively and expeditiously. Ranganathan has also emphasised that the reference
service aims at “providing the right book to the right reader at the right time.” He
further said that the questions or queries which are answered by the library staff
can be categorised as: 111
Library Services  Ready reference queries
 Short range queries
 Long range queries
The ready reference queries are the queries which are answered immediately to
satisfy the readers. For example:
 Where is the text book section?
 What are the timings of the library?
 What is the number of union territories in India?
 Which are the universities in Canada which offer library science courses?
 The above queries can be answered immediately. The staff can easily tell
the location of the text book section-whether it is located on the ground
floor, first floor, or somewhere else.
 Regarding the timings of the library, the staff can tell verbally and even
show that it is written at the entry point of the library. The libraries
usually have guides and pamphlets which provide all the information
about timings, rules, collection and services of the library. These guides
or pamphlets can be given to the readers.
 The staff may consult any yearbook like India: A Reference Annual or
Manorama Yearbook to find out about the number of union territories
in India.
 The staff may consult World of Learning to tell about the universities
which offer courses in library Science in Canada.
The short range queries are the queries which take sometime to answer. For
example:
 What are the sources –print and electronic, which provide statistical data on
environment and forest?
 Is the library having any data on folk stories of tribals of Gujarat and Assam?
 What are the electronic journals available in the library on international
relations?
 CMIE (Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy Pvt. Ltd.) publishes
monthly reports and journals on various aspects of Indian economy-
these are generally subscribed by the academic libraries. India stat.com
is another online database which provides statistical data on various
aspects of Indian economy.
 The staff can consult the catalogue of the library to find out if the
collection has any textbook on tribals of Gujarat or Assam.
 For finding out the journals available in the field of international relations,
the staff can browse the catalogue and online databases. For example,
the staff should be well conversant with the content and coverage of
online databases subscribed by the library.
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The long range queries are the ones which take one or more weeks to be answered. Reference Service
For example:
 Articles published on “use of social media by the students” in the databases
subscribed by the library.
 Bibliography on “use of multimedia for teaching English to the children living
in remote and far-flung areas of India”
The staff can easily make out that both the topics given above relate to education.
They may consult educational journals or general databases like Proquest-ARL,
EBSCO-ASC or Sage education journals. Besides, they can also consult computer
science and English language journals to know about the research done on the
above topics. If the staff cannot decide on their own, it is always good to take
the help of faculty members of related fields who are experts.
W. Bishop has defined reference service as, “the service rendered by a librarian
in aid of some sort of study. It is an organised effort on the part of libraries in aid
of the most expeditious and fruitful use of their books.”(Genz, 1998)
Margaret Hutchins has defined reference service as direct personal aid within a
library, to persons in search of information for whatever purpose and also various
activities specially aimed at making information as easily available as possible.
William Katz opines that reference service is behind the scene activities of the
reference library in the selection, acquisition and maintenance of the library stock
and its careful and administration.
The essence of reference service as revealed in the definitions given above, is
 providing assistance to the users/readers in the use of libraries and their
collections;
 organising collection and services to ensure their maximum usage;
 saving precious time of the readers; and
 acquiring and maintaining appropriate reference collection.
All the libraries, irrespective of their types-public, academic, or special libraries
provide reference service only the extent or scale of the reference service rendered
differs. The different types of libraries may provide one or more of the following
services:
 Telling the readers of the availability of a particular document in the collection.
 Selection of books, online resources, websites, etc.
 Fact finding from print or electronic resources.
 Telling the students how to access e- resources or card catalogue or online
catalogue.
 Literature search, preparation of bibliographies, etc. for researchers.
 Verification of references used by the researchers.
Reference service is the service that intends to connect the users with the information
sources they need. The service also aims to enhance the use of holdings of the
library. The most important point to be stressed here is that the reference service 113
Library Services seeks to fulfil the greater mission of the library, which is to maximise the use of
resources and services, by helping the individual readers.
Self Check Exercise
Note: i) Write your answers in the space given below.
ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
1) What do you understand by reference service?
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4.3 NEED AND PURPOSE OF THE REFERENCE

SERVICE

Fig. 4.1: Screenshot of South Campus Library, University of Delhi

Source: http://crl.du.ac.in/sdcl/Library%20Services/Reference%20Services.htm

The Screenshot of the south campus library of University of Delhi given above
states that the reference service is provided to help the users. It means that in
case the readers have any query regarding how to use a catalogue,availability of
any book or document or service or facility,they can consult any member of the
staff.
By now, you must have clearly understood that reference service is the vital
function of any library. Though the ever-expanding availability of electronic resources
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tends to influence the nature of reference service, the essential component of
“service” remains the same. The availability of electronic resources-subscription Reference Service
based and free Internet resources make the reference service more essential. The
users have a wide range of information sources, which need to be evaluated for
authenticity and currency. The users experience a phenomenon of information
explosion, information deluge. They feel lost, adrift in the vast ocean of information.
Reference service, which is also personalised service, helps the users in getting
exactly what they want. Libraries, by providing, intensive need based reference
service reaffirm their importance and centrality as service institutions for excellence.
There has been a lot of emphasis on providing reference service. It is considered
indispensable in libraries because of the following reasons:
 Rising readers’ expectations and needs;
 Information deluge or information overload;
 Variety of documents; and
 Availability of information and communication technologies.
Points to Remember
* Reference service is the personalised service directed towards the users.
* It helps the readers in locating the sources of information relevant to their
needs.
* Reference service also saves the precious time of the readers.
* It also contributes in enhancing the use of the resources and services of the
libraries.
Self Check Exercises
Note: i) Write your answers in the space given below.
ii) Check your answers with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
2) Fill in the blanks
1) Reference service __________ the readers.
2) ___________ introduced the concept of reference service.
3) Reference service is _________ service to the readers.
‘
3) Write True or False
1) Reference service is not a personalised service. (T/F)
2) Libraries by providing reference service deny their status as service
oriented institutions. (T/F)
3) The readers are confident and self- dependent due to information deluge.
(T/F)
4) Reference service is intended to prevent the use of resources and
services of the library. (T/F)

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Library Services
4.4 COMPONENTS OF THE REFERENCE
SERVICE
The components of the reference service refer to those activities of the library
which are undertaken to help the users.
S.S.Green introduced the following components of reference service:
 Instruct the reader in the ways of the library.
 Assist readers in solving their inquiries.
 Aid the reader in the selection of good works.
 Promote the library within the community.
The Draft Definition developed by RSS (Reference Service Section) Evaluation of
Reference and User Services Committee, 2006 is as follows:
“Reference work includes activities that involve the creation, management and
assessment of reference resources, tools and services as well as reference
transactions and liaison activities. The creation and management of information
resources includes the development and maintenance of reference collections,
print and electronic research guides, catalogues, databases, websites, search engines
that patrons can use independently, in house or remotely, to satisfy their information
needs. Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation of reference
work, resources and services.”
The different activities involved in providing reference service are given as under:
 Acquiring, organising and maintaining information sources.
 Answering reference queries.
 Providing reader’s advisory service.
 Information literacy.
 Selecting and evaluating print and electronic information resources.
 Creating finding tools and websites.
 Promoting reference service.
 Evaluating reference services.

4.4.1 Acquiring, Organising and Maintaining Information

Sources
The reference service involves interacting with the readers. These interactions are
also called reference transactions. The reference transactions are information
consultations in which the library staff recommend, interpret evaluate or use
information resources to help others meet particular needs. www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/
divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/def.The reference transactions can take place through
face to face meeting, telephone, mail or through online chat. The library staff
maintains a basic reference collection in order to answer the readers’ queries.
They assesses the range of queries which may come up in future; accordingly they
compile and design, answer archives or frequently asked questions (FAQs) to
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answer and solve users’ queries. The library staff also acquires basic reference Reference Service
books for the library’s collection. These reference books are used to answer
reference queries of the readers.

4.4.2 Answering Reference Queries

The library staff answers different queries which are raised by the users. The
queries are answered by the staff by consulting various information sources which
may be in print or electronic form. It is pertinent to mention here that the reference
queries may be of the following types:
 Ready reference queries
 Research queries
 Bibliographic verification
All these will be discussed in detail in the section 4.7 of this Unit.

4.4.3 Providing Readers’ Advisory Service

The reference staff help the readers in getting right books of their choice. They
may often come across the following request, “Will you help me find a good
book?” This service can be appropriately provided on the basis of a successful
interaction between the reference staff and the user. Asking questions, listening
carefully to the readers’ response and tailoring help accordingly is the basis of
providing excellent advisory service. Many of the online databases-resources,
websites provide recommendations to other books for those who like a given
title. This kind of advisory service is provided in public libraries, where the readers
are more interested in fiction titles. This service may be provided in academic
libraries to help the new researchers who want to deepen their knowledge in a
particular field. For offering such a service, the reference staff should know about
the availability of various titles in any given field. They should be well familiar with
the library’s collection. The reference staff should be able to convey their suggestion
or opinion in a friendly, polite and conversational manner.

4.4.4 Information Literacy

The reference staff conduct information literacy sessions for the users. Information
literacy is defined as a set of abilities enabling individuals to recognise when
information is needed and have the capacity to locate, evaluate and use effectively
the needed information. (ALA, 1989). In simple words, it means teaching the
users how to access the card catalogue or OPAC, print resources, retrieve
information from online databases .It also involves teaching the students about
how to evaluate and judge the resources on the basis of authenticity, coverage,
currency, etc. It implies teaching the students how to identify information need,
how to seek and retrieve the information from the various sources of information.

4.4.5 Selecting and Evaluating Print and Electronic

Information Resources
The reference librarian has the responsibility of evaluating and selecting print and
electronic information resources for the reference collection of the library. The
following criteria or checkpoints may help in determining if a particular resource
be acquired for the reference collection:
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Library Services  Scope
 Content-its quality
 Appropriateness for audience
 Authority
 Currency
 Accuracy
 Ease of use
 Cost
The libraries may select reference materials by reading reviews in the library
professional literature such as Library Journal, Choice Book List’s and Reference
Books’ Bulletin. Some libraries go for physical reviewing of reference sources
before they finally purchase them. At this point, it is also very important to tell and
explain about reference books. The reference books are those texts, which are
consulted for a specific type of information. They are not meant to be read as a
whole. Another characteristic feature of reference books is that these are not
issued to the readers. These are to be consulted and used within the library
premises. The examples of reference books are encyclopaedias, dictionaries, etc.
You know textbooks are meant to be read from cover to cover and are issued
to the readers. The examples are English Reader for Class XII, Fundamentals
of Chemistry, etc. The textbooks are written keeping in mind the particular audience
of specific age group.

4.4.6 Creating Finding Tools and Websites

The reference staff create finding tools and pathfinders for library users. The
libraries prepare pathfinders for very common queries raised by the students. The
pathfinders may assist and guide the students in selecting and locating appropriate
reference source, pertinent database, search terms, authoritative current websites,
and tips for searching the OPAC for any other additional material. For example
the reference staff should be aware of the following web resources in order to
guide the users:
 Internet Public Library (ipl2 http://www.ipl.org/)
 Best of the Web http://botw.org/

4.4.7 Promoting the Reference Service

The reference staff should promote reference service among the user community.
The libraries should demonstrate how they can effectively serve the students
community. This kind of promotional activities will definitely enhance the usage of
the library resources. The promotion of reference service can be done through the
print, letters, e-mails and websites. The frequent interaction of the reference staff
with the teachers, staff and students can provide opportunities to promote the
resources of the libraries.

4.4.8 Evaluating the Reference Service

Evaluation is an important component of any activity which is being undertaken in
118 the library. It helps in finding out and assessing if the service is helping the users,
for whom it is intended. Evaluation can be done by collecting the users’ feedback Reference Service
on the services, which are being offered to them. The services can be modified,
extended or changed in the light of the feedback received from the users. The
feedback can be collected through the questionnaire or interview method or both.
Points to Remember
* Reference service comprises those activities which are performed or
undertaken for helping the users.
* Acquiring, organising and managing reference resources are integral activities
for providing reference service.
* It is responsible for increasing the use of resources and services of the
library.
* The provision of reference service should be promoted among the users.
The library staff should make concerted efforts to promote reference service
of the library.
* These services should also be evaluated in order to know that the users are
real beneficiaries of these services. Evaluation helps in finding out if the
reference service is useful for the readers.
Self Check Exercises
Note: i) Write your answers in the space given below.
ii) Check your answers with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
4) Fill in the blanks:
1) Reference service helps the readers in selecting resources according to
their ___________________.
2) Reference service ___________the time of the readers.
3) Reference service ensures_________use of resources among the readers.
4) Evaluation of reference service helps in their ___________
5) Match the following:
A B
1) Promotion a) E-mail, chat
2) Evaluation b) Teaching the students how to
identify information needs and meet
them from various resources.
3) Information literacy c) Assess relevance of reference
service for the readers.
4) Virtual reference service d) May be done through print letters,
e-mails, interaction with the users.
6) Describe the main activities, which are undertaken for providing reference
service.
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Library Services 7) What do you understand by information literacy?
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8) What are the criteria used for evaluating the reference sources?
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9) How can the library promote its reference service?
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4.5 DIFFERENT MODES OF PROVIDING

REFERENCE SERVICE
The reference service may be provided through the following modes or ways:

4.5.1 Face-to-Face Reference Service

In face-to-face reference service, the user and the reference librarian are present
before each other in close proximity.

Fig. 4.2: Face-to-Face Reference Service

Source:
http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sdmiramar.edu/library/images/
ref_desk.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sdmiramar.edu/library/info
h t t p: / / www. g oog l e. c o. i n / i m gr e s?i m gu r l = h t t p : / / fa r m 4. s t a t i c. fl i c kr. com / 356 2/
3475705681_c103a0f322.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.davidleeking.co
www2.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/refcom05.jpg
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4.5.2 Reference Service through Telephone Reference Service

Fig. 4.3: Reference Service through Telephone

Source: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/nyempnews/librarynews/servicestobusiness022.jpg&
imgrefur

The reference queries are also entertained through telephone. The librarian cannot
see the user but can hear the tone and inflexions in her/his voice and thereby can
ascertain how the user is communicating.
When the user asks some questions over the telephone, the librarian should rephrase
the question in order to clarify the meaning and ascertain what the user wants.
Once the answer to the query has been provided, follow-up question may be
asked in order to confirm that the query has been appropriately answered. The
library staff should also tell the source where answer can be found. The reference
staff is expected to provide value-added service to the users. For example, if a
user wants to know about the chief minister of a particular state –it would be more
relevant to explain that the government of that particular state has an official
website and a page for the chief minister. At the end of the interaction or transaction,
the user or caller should be encouraged to call again or visit the library.

Activity I: Please visit any library in your vicinity and find out how reference
service is provided through telephones. Enquire about the type of queries the
staff receives through phones and write about them.

Activity II: Visit any academic library in your vicinity and see around their
reference collection. Find out the different reference sources which the library
staff uses for answering to reference queries. List any five resources commonly
used by them.

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Library Services 4.5.3 Virtual Reference Service

Fig. 4.4: Screenshot of Delhi University Library System

Source: http://crl.du.ac.in/vrs/index.htm
The screen shot of Delhi University Library System reveals that the library system
provides virtual reference service to the readers. The readers can send their
queries through e-mail and also chat with the library staff to get answers for their
queries.
The virtual reference service (electronic reference service, and digital reference
service, are the other terms used for virtual reference service) is offered in computer
mediated environment. This type of reference service helps those who cannot visit
the library in person.
 E-mail
The libraries have been providing reference service through e-mail for the last 15
years or so. The libraries provide well designated e- mail reference forms through
which the users can send their queries. The sample e-mail reference forms can be
found in many library websites. Internet Public Library’s (www.ipl.org) also provides
e- mail reference form. The reference staff may get queries for facts, library
policies, student queries seeking help in term papers, assignments, etc. The librarian
before attending to a query should collect enough information from the users
because s/he cannot ask follow up questions to completely understand the query.
This type of reference service through e-mail is slower than face-to-face reference
service. But it gives ample time to the reference librarian to do some research
before providing a thorough response. The e-mail response of the reference staff
should invite the user to return for more information and use the service again.
Activity III: Write about any library which provides reference services though
e-mail. Give four examples of such libraries.
Activity IV: Visit any library in your vicinity and write about how reference
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service is provided to the readers.
 Chat Reference Service

The reference service through chat has a lot of importance and potential as these
are provided in real time. In chat reference service the library staff can respond
immediately to the users’ queries. The reference staff should greet the user by
name and acknowledge the receipt of the question. The users must be told what
steps are being taken, to solve their queries, since the users cannot see what the
staff is doing. The staff should carefully read the users’ replies for clues. The chat
is text-based and it offers no opportunity to observe non-verbal clues. Attention
should be paid to the fact that the information given to the users really answers
their queries. The library staff have opportunity to communicate back with the
user. The users can be given guidance for future queries. The library staff can ask
the user to restate or clarify the question, and the context in which the information
is sought. The staff should encourage the user to return for more information or
with another query. In chat reference, the users get transcripts with all the
information from the search process.
 IM (Instant Messaging) and SMS (Short Text Messaging)
These are faster than chat. The reference staff may answer ready reference
questions, directions or policy related queries. The reference staff is required to
be very brief and to the point while responding to the instant messaging (IM) and
short text messaging (SMS) queries. The staff may ask the user to give e-mail
address and give him more information on the topic in context or encourage the
reader to visit the library. The users value IM and SMS for their convenience,
anonymity and quick help (Ruppel and Fagan, 2002).
The reference staff providing reference service should use simple, crystal clear
words to express answers to the users’ queries. It means that the answers should
be properly worded and expressed. Straw states that, “a well written response
not only answers a question eloquently, but it also tells the user about the importance
that the library places on the question.” (Straw, 2000:379) Mon and Janes have
highlighted that the librarians who use more words in their answers are appreciated
more than the librarians who are economical with words and give “canned responses”
(Mon and Janes, 2001). They should encourage the users to make more use of
reference service.

Fig. 4.5: Screenshot of Oregon State University Library

Source: http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/reference/ 123
Library Services The screenshot of Oregon State University Library, given above tells that the
Library provides reference service through the following:
 Ask a Librarian
 Text Message
 E-mail
 Telephone
Activity V: Please visit any library website and write how IM is used by it.
The virtual reference service is often underestimated because the users do not
know about its availability or existence. So in order to make it widely known, the
librarians should mark the service and make it visible on the library’s website. The
rules like who can use the service should be clearly communicated to the users.
The reference staff may take extra efforts for promoting virtual reference service.

4.6 RELEVANCE OF THE REFERENCE SERVICE

IN THE DIGITAL ERA
The reference service has always been considered as a core library service. The
concept of reference service has undergone many transformations owing to the
development of the information society and change in the functions of the libraries,
but much has remained the same. One thing which needs to be kept in mind is that
it is still a service in which the librarian interacts with the readers on one to one
basis.
The level of personal service has become more important in today’s time due to
depersonalising effects of information and communication technologies. At the
same time, the way reference service is provided has changed to a great extent.
It extends beyond face-to-face help and is further provided through telephone,
e-mail, etc. The libraries use other tools like blogs, wikis, and chat software for
providing reference service.
Now-a-days, it is also being felt and suggested that a librarian is not needed to
handle many reference queries. Ryan (2008) has concluded that 89% of questions
could be handled and answered by a non-librarian. The students do not very much
depend upon the library and their research is facilitated by the large amounts of
information available online.
The users are heavily inclined towards using the Internet resources. They think
every thing is available on the Internet. In this situation, the role of the reference
librarian has increased manifold. The reference librarian needs to educate the
users that everything is not available on the internet and moreover the quality,
currency and authority of the resources are not ensured. The reference staff needs
to tell that there is a concept of Invisible Net, where the content is available behind
a password, which implies that the content is not freely available.
The users should access and consult the resources, as well as online databases
subscribed by the library; these resources provide reliable, current and authentic
information. The reference staff has a pivotal role to play. They are human search
engines who can sift and evaluate information before offering it to the users. The
reference staff should stress upon attracting the users towards the library and
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exploring, browsing and reading the resources available there. The reference staff Reference Service
after evaluating the Internet resources (through the checkpoints discussed in 4.4.5
of this Unit) can use them for offering services to the users.
Points to Remember
* Reference service has evolved a lot ever since it was started.
* The library provides reference service through phone, e-mail and other tools
like blogs, wikis, IM and SMS.
* In today’s digital age, the reference librarian has more important role to
play.
* There is a lot of information available on the internet. The reference staff
should educate the users about how to locate and find authoritative and
current information.
* The library staff should stress upon attracting the users towards library
resources and using them
Self Check Exercises
Note: i) Write your answers in the space given below.
ii) Check your answers with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
10) State the different factors that necessitate the provision of reference service
in the libraries.
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11) Discuss the relevance of reference service in the digital era
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4.7 REFERENCE QUERIES

A reference query is a question or enquiry put forth before the reference staff by
a user who expects some answer, help or support. The different types of reference
queries are discussed in the following subsections:

4.7.1 Directional Queries

The directional queries are the enquiries that arise when the users want to know
where a particular document or resource has been kept.
The following are the examples of directional queries:
 Where is the text book section?
 Is a particular book available in the collection of the library?
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Library Services 4.7.2 Procedural Queries
The procedural queries are the enquiries that come up when the users want to
know about the procedures or policies of the library .The following are the examples
of the procedural queries:
 What fine has to be paid for the overdue books?
 How can I become a member of this library?
 How can I get a book reserved which is not available presently?

4.7.3 Basic Reference Queries

The basic reference queries are the enquiries that come up when quick, immediate,
and factual answers are required; information required may be wide ranging but
not deep. The following are the examples of the basic reference queries:
 Where was Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam born?
 Who won the Hockey World Cup 2010?
 How many districts are there in the state of Madhya Pradesh?
The librarians can readily answer these queries; but it is advisable for the librarians
to teach the users about where to locate the information, which sources to consult,
etc.

4.7.4 Research Queries

The research queries are a little complex and take longer time to respond. The
reference staff may require numerous sources of information. In order to successfully
handle such queries the reference staff has to show more active involvement. The
reference staff may come across a user who is unable to articulate her/his
requirement or research query; in such a situation, the reference staff has to ask
some questions on her/his own for ascertaining what the user wants from the
library-how much information s/he wants, what level of information s/he wants,
what sources s/he has already consulted, etc. The reference staff may get queries
related to bibliographic sources, citations, etc.
The following are the examples of the research queries:
 What literature is available on the use of multimedia for teaching English to
primary class students?
 Which are the major universities across the world that offer programmes on
sustainability?
 What are the full-text articles available in the databases subscribed by the
library on the application of data mining in information centres?

4.7.5 Bibliographic Verification

This means verifying or checking the bibliographic details of documents, journals,
books, etc. consulted by the users. A reader or user may seek bibliographic
verification when s/he has already obtained the information needed but may want
to verify the sources .This may involve fact checking or searching the electronic
databases for full citation information.
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Self-Check Exercise Reference Service

Note: i) Write your answer in the space given below.

ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
12) Match the following:
A B
1 Synonym of a word a DOAJ
2 Universities offering library b India Reference Annual-yearbooks
science courses
3 Currency of Japan c Subject Dictionary
4 Pronunciation of a word d Indian National Bibliography
5 Right time to visit Europe e World of Learning
6 Open access journals in f Cambridge Advanced Learners
library science dictionary
7 Meaning of any term from g Fodor’s Travel Guide
the field of law
8 Books published in India h Statesman’s Yearbook
on cryogenics
9 Number of states and i Roget’s Thesaurus
union territories in India

4.7.6 Reference Queries and Information Sources

The examples of different types of reference queries and the resources, which may
be used for answering them, are given below:
S.No Query Type of Sources Examples
1. Books published in a Bibliographical i. INB (Indian National
country; books published Sources Bibliography),
on a country; books ii. BNB(BritishNational
published by citizens of Bibliography), etc.
a country.
2. Meaning , definition, General i. Oxford English Dictionary
pronunciation, etc. of Dictionaries ii. Cambridge Advanced
any word. Learners Dictionary
3. Information for Thesaurus i. Roget’s International
synonym, antonym, etc. Thesaurus
4. Quotations Handbooks/Dictio i. Yale Book of Quotations
naries ii. Oxford Dictionary of
Modern Quotations
5. Meaning of any medical Subject i. Dorland’s Illustrated
word Dictionaries Medical Dictionary

6. Style of writing Manuals i. Chicago Manual of Style

references, citations ii. MLA Handbook for Writers
of Research Papers
7. Language, festival of any Yearbooks i. Manorama Yearbook
state of the country ii. India: A Reference Annual
8. Currency, language, Yearbooks i. Europa World Yearbook
population of any other ii. Statesman’s Yearbook
country
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Library Services 9. Information/Details of a Handbooks i. Universities Handbook
particular course offered ii. World of Learning
by a university
10. Background information General i. Collier’s Encyclopedia
about any subject /topic Encyclopedias ii. Encyclopedia Americana
iii. Encyclopeadia Britannicaa
11. To know in depth of any Subject i. McGraw Hill Encyclopedia
aspect in a particular Encyclopaedias of Science and Technology
subject
12. Biographical sketch of Biographical i. India Who’s Who
great Source ii. International Who’s Who
personalities/legendaries iii. Biography Resource Center
13. Statistics on population, Statistical Source i. Census of India
education, income, ii. Statistical Abstract India
health iii. United Nations Statistical
Yearbook
14. Current happenings in Current i. Asian News Digest
India Information Source
15. Current events of any Current i. Keesing’s Record of World
country in the world Information Events
Source
16. Books available in Trade i. Indian Books in Print
market on any particular Bibliography ii. Whitaker’s Books in Print
subject
17. Information about tourist Gazetteers, Travel i. Columbia Gazetteer of the
places and right time to Guides World
visit them. Changed ii. Fodor’s Travel guides
names of countries (for iii. Times Travel Guide
e.g. new name of iv. Merriam Webster’s
Burma). Countries Geographical Dictionary
surrounding Botswana)
18. Details of a current Directory i. Ulrich’s International
journal, frequency, Periodicals Directory
subscription, etc.
19. Presidents of USA Almanac, i. The World Almanac and
Yearbooks Book of Facts
20. Information about Almanacs i. Guinnes World Records
records created and ii. Limca Book of Records
maintained worldwide
21. Query relating to any General Databases i. Proquest
research topic in social ii. EBSCO
sciences

 The reference staff should also know of other online reference resources
listed below which they can consult while attending to the users’ queries:
 ABC-CLIO http://www.abc-clio.com/
 Credo reference www.credoreference.com
 Gale virtual reference www.gale.cengage.com/gvrl/
 Greenwood digital collection
www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/?...greenwood-digital-collection
 Oxford reference online www.oxfordreference.com
 The reference staff should also be aware of the free Internet resources for
answering the users’ queries; some of the free Internet sites are listed below:
 Google Scholar scholar.google.com
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  Google maps local.google.co.in Reference Service

 National Geographic Society Map Machine maps.nationalgeographic.com/

 Biography .com www.biography.com
 Biography Dictionary www.s9.com
 BMJ www.bmj.com/
 Mondofacto www.mondofacto.com
 WebMD www.webmd.com
 Yahoo! India Finance in. finance. Yahoo.com/
 DOAJ www.doaj.org/
 Dictionaty.com www.dictionary.com
 Bartleby http://www.bartleby.com/reference/
 Geohive www.geohive.com/
 Infoplease www.infoplease.com
 Acronym Finder www.acronymfinder.com
 Netlingo www.netlingo.com
Self Check Exercise
Note: i) Write your answer in the space given below.
ii) Check your answer with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
13) What are the different types of reference queries?
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4.8 SUMMARY
This Unit has highlighted the importance of reference service in libraries. Reference
service means providing assistance to the users in the use of libraries and their
collections. It is the process of helping readers to identify sources of information
in response to a particular query, interest, problem or assignment to be done. This
Unit has also covered the different activities, which are undertaken while providing
reference service to the users. The reference service can be provided through
face-to-face interview; telephone, chat, e-mail, IM and SMS. The reference staff
is required to deal with different queries like directional, procedural, research and
bibliographic verification. The reference staff has to consult various reference
sources for answering users’ queries.

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Library Services
4.9 KEYWORDS
Abundance of Information : This abundance also termed as information
explosion, information overlaod, etc. causes
confusion among users and creates difficulty
in grasping the whole scenario encompassing
a topic.
Information Communication : It refers to information technology and
Technologies communication technology. The technologies
are used to store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit
or receive information.
Information Literacy : It is a set of abilities required to identify what
information is needed; and how to locate,
evaluate and use information in relation to the
need.
Instant Messaging : It is a form of real time direct text-based
communication between two or more people
using personal computers.
OPAC : Abbreviated form of Online Public Access
Catalogue. It is used for finding books,
journals, CDs and other resources available
in a library.
Pathfinders : Pathfinders are guides which help the students
in starting research on a specific topic or area.
These are also known as self-help tools. These
guides tell or specify about the different online
and print resources which the students may
consult to begin their research work.
Reference Service : It is a service that establishes a link or contact
between a user/reader and document/book
through personalised service.
Short Message Service : It is a method by which messages can be
(SMS) sent to a cell phone via another cell phone, a
computer connected to the computer, or a
regular landline.

4.10 ANSWERS TO SELF CHECK EXERCISES

1) Reference service is the personal assistance provided to the readers in finding
information. It also involves instructing the readers in the selection and use of
appropriate tools and techniques, finding information; conducting searches on
behalf of the users, directing users to the location of the resources demanded
by them, helping in the evaluation of the information, referring the users to the
resources available in other libraries etc.
2) 1) Help
2) S.S.Green
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3) Personalised service
3) 1) T Reference Service

2) F
3) F
4) F
4) 1) Information needs
2) Save
3) Optimum
4) Improvement
5) 1) d
2) c
3) b
4) a
6) The main activities which are undertaken for providing reference service are
as follows: acquiring, organising and maintaining information sources, answering
reference queries, providing reader’s advisory service, information literacy,
selecting and evaluating print and electronic information resources, creating
finding tools and websites; promoting reference service and evaluating
reference service.
7) Information literacy is about developing and cultivating techniques and skills
for identifying information needs and locating, retrieving and using properly
different information sources for meeting the information needs.
8) The different criteria for evaluating the reference sources are as follows:
scope, content, its quality, appropriateness for audience, authority currency,
accuracy, ease of use and cost of the information source.
9) The reference service can be promoted through letters, e-mails; information
with regard to the service provided may be put on the library’s website. The
user education programmes should be organised from time to time.
10) The factors which necessitate reference service in the library are as under:
Increasing expectations of the users: The readers or users have more
expectations from the libraries; they want the libraries to attend and respond
to their information needs instantly as these are supposed to be the service
institutions.
Too many resources and information overload: There are too many resources
causing overload and the users find it difficult to evaluate and identify which
resource to use.
11) The reference service has a lot of relevance in the digital era. Besides providing
face-to-face service, reference service is provided through telephone, e-mail,
chat, IM (Instant messaging), SMS (short message service). The human
interface provided by the reference service tends to lessen the alienating and
depersonalising impact of the digital era.
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Library Services 12) 1) i
2) e
3) h
4) f
5) g
6) a
7) c
8) d
9) b
13) The different reference queries handled by the reference staff are directional,
procedural, basic, research and bibliographic verification types.

4.11 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Cassell, Kay Ann, and U. Hiremath. Reference and Information Services in the
21st Century: An Introduction. London: Facet 2009.Print.
Genz, Marcella D. “Working the Reference Desk”. Library Trends. 46.3 (1998):
505-25. Print.
Katz, William A. Introduction to Reference Works .2vols.New York: McGraw-
Hill, 2001. Print.
Krishan Kumar. Reference Service. New Delhi: Vikas, 1989.3-10.Print.
Mon, Lorri, and Joseph W. Janes. “The Thank You Study: User Feedback in E-
mail Thank You Messages”. Reference and User Services Quarterly .46.4(2007):
53-9. Print.
Ruppel, Margie, and Jody Condi Fagan. “Instant Messaging Reference: Users’
Evaluation of Library Chat”. Reference Services Review.30.3 (2002): 183-197.
Print.
Ryan, S. M. “Reference Transactions Analysis: The Cost-Effectiveness of Staffing
a Traditional Academic Reference Desk”. Journal of Academic Librarianship
34.5 (2008): 389-99.Print.
Straw, Joseph E. “A Virtual Understanding: the reference interview and question
negotiation in the digital age”. Reference and User Services Quarterly.39.1 (2000):
376-9. Print.

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