Competency I ~
Use service concepts, principles, and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users.
Statement
A central purpose of libraries is to support the accessibility and usability of information. This includes keeping information resources in multiple formats such as print and electronic, and establishing multiple methods of information delivery to facilitate access to a diverse population of users. Today's libraries are valued because of the services they provide. Services like free access to the Internet from within the library; access to the library's services remotely; reference services that utilize multiple methods of delivery such as chat, email, phone, and face-to-face interaction; and user instruction and programs that promote literacy all benefit users by aiding in the dissemination of and access to information.
In order to sustain equitable, accurate, and relevant resources and services, librarians must make operational decisions and material selections based on thorough and collaborative processes. Collections and services must be constantly evaluated for accuracy and relevance and maintained accordingly. Librarians who commit to participation in the selection, evaluation, and maintenance of library resources help to ensure that library users have the access they need to make informed information-seeking decisions. Participation in these activities also aids in the development of a librarian's knowledge of the resources housed in her library and thus increases her effectiveness as an information professional.
Reference services, reader's advisory, and user instruction are examples of the types of services librarians provide to facilitate the effective use of information. Technology has made it possible to expand these services to reach more users. Reference services are no longer limited to assisting users who approach the reference desk. For example, remote assistance along with the creation of unique websites equipped with answer archives and frequently asked questions are designed to anticipate user needs and help people find information independently (Cassell & Hiremath, 2006, p. 6). According to Cassell and Hiremath, the fundamental principle of user instruction is that information professionals demonstrate how, when, and why to use various reference sources in an integrated way to capture the user's attention during a teachable moment (p. 7).
Evidence
The evidence I will present for this competency will demonstrate my ability to use the service concepts, principles, and techniques described above to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users. The first piece of evidence is a banned books pathfinder created as a group project for LIBR 210 Reference and Information Services instructed by Professor Lili Luo. The website pathfinder opens access to a library's resources by using the Internet to facilitate the use of information. We facilitate relevance and accuracy of information for users by carefully selecting and evaluating resources to include in the pathfinder. Users of the pathfinder can search for information knowing that the best resources have been selected for their use. Through the pathfinder we can instruct users on the use of effective search strategies so they can search more efficiently and independently, and we promote information literacy by recognizing authoritative external resources and providing access to them so users can educate themselves on the importance of careful selection and evaluation of information resources.
The second piece of evidence is a reference sources exercise I completed for the same LIBR 210 course mentioned above. The exercise was intended to give students practice in using particular types of reference sources and search strategies to answer questions. The assignment emphasized the process of finding answers and not just our ability to find the correct answers. I've chosen to include this assignment as evidence because it demonstrates my understanding of the reference service process and how librarians use certain techniques and knowledge of resources to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for users. As I mentioned in my statement, participation in selection, evaluation, and maintenance of library resources aids in the development of a librarian's knowledge of the resources housed in her library and thus increases her effectiveness as an information professional. Having knowledge of a variety of sources, search strategies, and tools allows us to efficiently and effectively assist library users with their information-seeking needs. This assignment also emphasizes the importance of an in-depth understanding of the reference interview process. Without the knowledge to ask the right questions, to project an appropriate demeanor, to engage with patrons on their level of understanding, we only impede our ability to facilitate access, accuracy, and relevance for users.
Conclusion
The creation of the website pathfinder was a fun and engaging task, but it was not simple. Designing a website that is easy to use, that is precise in its purpose, and that provides an array of relevant and authoritative information is a skill that I have now developed and can use in my profesisonal career to facilitate access for users. The processes I engaged in to understand and negotiate reference questions, to select appropriate search strategies, and to evaluate sources for relevance and accuracy have helped me develop the skills needed to provide quality reference services in any professional setting.
References
Cassell, K. A., and Hiremath, U. (2006). Reference and information services in the 21st century. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman
Publishers, Inc.
Evidentiary Material
http://libr210group4.weebly.com
A central purpose of libraries is to support the accessibility and usability of information. This includes keeping information resources in multiple formats such as print and electronic, and establishing multiple methods of information delivery to facilitate access to a diverse population of users. Today's libraries are valued because of the services they provide. Services like free access to the Internet from within the library; access to the library's services remotely; reference services that utilize multiple methods of delivery such as chat, email, phone, and face-to-face interaction; and user instruction and programs that promote literacy all benefit users by aiding in the dissemination of and access to information.
In order to sustain equitable, accurate, and relevant resources and services, librarians must make operational decisions and material selections based on thorough and collaborative processes. Collections and services must be constantly evaluated for accuracy and relevance and maintained accordingly. Librarians who commit to participation in the selection, evaluation, and maintenance of library resources help to ensure that library users have the access they need to make informed information-seeking decisions. Participation in these activities also aids in the development of a librarian's knowledge of the resources housed in her library and thus increases her effectiveness as an information professional.
Reference services, reader's advisory, and user instruction are examples of the types of services librarians provide to facilitate the effective use of information. Technology has made it possible to expand these services to reach more users. Reference services are no longer limited to assisting users who approach the reference desk. For example, remote assistance along with the creation of unique websites equipped with answer archives and frequently asked questions are designed to anticipate user needs and help people find information independently (Cassell & Hiremath, 2006, p. 6). According to Cassell and Hiremath, the fundamental principle of user instruction is that information professionals demonstrate how, when, and why to use various reference sources in an integrated way to capture the user's attention during a teachable moment (p. 7).
Evidence
The evidence I will present for this competency will demonstrate my ability to use the service concepts, principles, and techniques described above to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for individuals or groups of users. The first piece of evidence is a banned books pathfinder created as a group project for LIBR 210 Reference and Information Services instructed by Professor Lili Luo. The website pathfinder opens access to a library's resources by using the Internet to facilitate the use of information. We facilitate relevance and accuracy of information for users by carefully selecting and evaluating resources to include in the pathfinder. Users of the pathfinder can search for information knowing that the best resources have been selected for their use. Through the pathfinder we can instruct users on the use of effective search strategies so they can search more efficiently and independently, and we promote information literacy by recognizing authoritative external resources and providing access to them so users can educate themselves on the importance of careful selection and evaluation of information resources.
The second piece of evidence is a reference sources exercise I completed for the same LIBR 210 course mentioned above. The exercise was intended to give students practice in using particular types of reference sources and search strategies to answer questions. The assignment emphasized the process of finding answers and not just our ability to find the correct answers. I've chosen to include this assignment as evidence because it demonstrates my understanding of the reference service process and how librarians use certain techniques and knowledge of resources to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy for users. As I mentioned in my statement, participation in selection, evaluation, and maintenance of library resources aids in the development of a librarian's knowledge of the resources housed in her library and thus increases her effectiveness as an information professional. Having knowledge of a variety of sources, search strategies, and tools allows us to efficiently and effectively assist library users with their information-seeking needs. This assignment also emphasizes the importance of an in-depth understanding of the reference interview process. Without the knowledge to ask the right questions, to project an appropriate demeanor, to engage with patrons on their level of understanding, we only impede our ability to facilitate access, accuracy, and relevance for users.
Conclusion
The creation of the website pathfinder was a fun and engaging task, but it was not simple. Designing a website that is easy to use, that is precise in its purpose, and that provides an array of relevant and authoritative information is a skill that I have now developed and can use in my profesisonal career to facilitate access for users. The processes I engaged in to understand and negotiate reference questions, to select appropriate search strategies, and to evaluate sources for relevance and accuracy have helped me develop the skills needed to provide quality reference services in any professional setting.
References
Cassell, K. A., and Hiremath, U. (2006). Reference and information services in the 21st century. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman
Publishers, Inc.
Evidentiary Material
http://libr210group4.weebly.com
refsourcesexercise1_libr210.pdf | |
File Size: | 230 kb |
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