An Introduction to Reference Services in Academic Libraries

Citation

James, S. (2007), "An Introduction to Reference Services in Academic Libraries", Library Review, Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 336-337. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530710743570

There is classroom and theory learning, then there is practical learning: both are vital and ideally complementary components. Here is a new venture from Haworth Press, obviously derived from their many collections of practical papers, but with a specific aim: “This is the first in a series of introductory textbooks intended to serve as an instructional framework for teaching and learning the principles of reference service in academic libraries. This book's real‐life, hypothetical, and sometimes humorous examples can be used to guide discussions, plan assignments, and engage learners in the classroom or the workplace”. Its audience is any learner: “…graduate students, entry‐level librarians, newcomers to academic librarianship, library support staff, and others interested in academic reference services”.

At first glance it looks a pretty typical Haworth collection, but it is certainly more thoroughly planned and presented than most, as its aim demands. There are two basic parts: eleven case studies and seven essays. The case studies range pretty widely across today's academic reference world, including marketing, virtual reference, and evaluation. The perennial basics are also there, including the professor expecting miracles. The essays are obviously a little more on the theoretical side, but they retain a strong practical bias: teaching and “Serving unusual patrons” are examples. Other essays head for more theoretical territory: librarianship for the twenty‐first century, or “The academic librarian”.

Each contribution, whether case study or essay, is clearly sub‐divided to help the learner through, and comes with suggested exercises and lists of references. If the context is North American, the subject is universal enough for that not be an impediment to the material's use elsewhere: students are students and professors are professors the world over and all with an often totally unrealistic grasp of the realities of information seeking and use (or at the other extreme with an almost pathetic gratitude when we come up with the simplest answer for them). The only work available from CILIP is itself of US origin (Cassell and Hiremath, 2006). The closest comparator to this many years ago would have been the long out of print and by our virtual times almost (but not quite) out of date Grogan's Case Studies (Grogan, 1987). As befitted his times, Grogan concentrated more on sources and their use, while this present work is more devoted to processes and outcomes.

This does not replace the classics of theory, but it will serve a useful purpose in quite a few contexts, whether students in classes under directed learning, students on practical placement, or for self‐teaching. Its contributors are practising (as opposed to teaching) librarians, which emphasises the real‐life value of both sets of material. The case studies are wide ranging and realistic and the essays are good summaries and discussions of current issues. This is a useful collection which fulfils its stated purpose.