Because of the similarity between the reference and the reader advisory interviews, it is useful to begin discussion of the reader advisory interview by reviewing some of the basic aspects of the reference interview. Note too that reader advisory work may be done in the reference department.
Although obvious, we may forget that our business is client success as defined by the client. How do we know if the client is successful? Feedback from the client is probably the best evidence of that success. There has been considerable discussion in the business literature of the last few years of the importance of being a "client driven organization." In our case, that means that we make a difference by helping the client to be more successful by providing the "right information to the right person at the right time. That information could be the telephone number for an important contact or locating a read-alike for summer reading.
The defining attribute of a profession is that she is involved in diagnostic and prescriptive activity. Clients come to the professional with a problem. A thoughtful interview leads to diagnosis. This, in turn, leads to a prescription or strongly suggested course of action. The prescription is designed to give the client what is needed and that may be quite different from what the client wanted.
As you know, there is some controversy in the literature on professions about library service. Some are convinced that it is not a profession. Most librarians would disagree. Still, many information professionals not comfortable with this diagnostic/prescriptive role. Is an information problem the same as a medical/health problem? s the reference encounter similar to that of a patient and a physician? r more like that of a sales person in a retail outlet?
One of the major rationales for the reference interview is that what people ask for [want] is often not what they really need. Thus, it is important to have the diagnostic session so that the client will be given the right information and will be successful. If what most clients asked for was what they needed, there would be little need for the reference interview. How likely is it that the want will be notably different from the need?
It is assumed that the diagnostic effort can be standardized so that a relatively simple sequence of standard questions may be used, at least for most of the session. This should make the process easier for library staff and make evaluation more reliable.
Although not done recently, some unobtrusive studies of reference service found that reference staff provided correct responses only about 50 percent of the time. These studies used "right answer" queries in evaluating accurately and may not represent the range of reference services typically provided. Still, this is an alarming measure of service quality.
Another study found that only 45 percent of PL patrons would ask another question of the reference librarian they had used earlier. This suggests that the interaction itself, especially the style and manner of the reference staff member, often dissatisfies the client. Clearly, there is considerable opportunity to improve both service quality and client success.
Competency and successful service are obviously related. Competency, however, is not enough. Success requires empathy, motivation and people skills as well as skill and competency in relating needs to sources.
Successful service requires quality control. Information agency management is responsible for insuring that service is excellent. Hiring, training, supervision, and evaluation provide opportunities for management to insure that service standards are maintained and improved. It might be helpful to examine a local reference department and identify both service quality standards and steps being taken to insure success. The measures of success used in monthly, quarterly, and annual reports should tell much about the committment to client success. Professionals, even though we do not usually create or package information resources, also bear responsibility. By definition, the professional should be dedicated to helping the client to be successful.
Many library users, for a variety of reasons, fail to ask for help. Typically, only a minority of users will ask for help. Many are unaware of the services available. Others are fearful of loss of face if they ask for help. Often, user expectations are embarrassingly low. In some cases, they may not ask for help because they assume that no one can help.
Expectations may also be impossibly high. Some users may assume that the information professional can answer any question quickly and easily. Another common assumption is that any query can be quickly and fully answered via a WWW search engine.
The reference interview literature mentions several assumptions sometimes made by reference staff. A few of these are mentioned below. Each diserves reflection, analysis and discussion.
Some major studies and some reference librarians suggest that most reference encounters do not require an interview because the client's wants are appropriate. No interview or mediation is necessary. The contrary view is that many users do not have a clear sense of what is needed and require help. If most users can be successful with "self-service," then reference staff might become a clerical, para-professional activity involving mostly directional help.
Information professionals should teach clients how to do their own information work. This is common in both academic and public libraries. Since many users prefer not to ask for help and reference staff may not be available when help is needed, it is important to teach users how to analyze information wants/needs, identify likely resources, retrieve resources, and evaluate their utility. As more library users prefer to do their own reference work via the WWW from home, teaching is likely to become more important as traffic in the reference room declines.
The notion that information professionals should provide clients with the answers is most often encountered in special libraries and information centers. It makes little sense of a research bio-chemist to do online or WWW searching when a library reference staff member can do it better (and much less expensively).
There is enough evidence to make this a well-supported generalization. Still, evidence is growing that many reference departments experience declining business as more users turn to the WWW for their information wants. It may be that there will be more time available for each client in the future because there will be fewer clients. In the past, information professionals have had limited time to spend with each client. This means that the reference encounter is often quick and may be incomplete.
Information professionals and clients select resources that are easily available rather than those that are most helpful. The most used resources may not be the best but simply the easiest to access. There is also some evidence that staff use older standard sources that they are familiar with even when newer, better sources are available. It may take some time and effort to become familiar with the newer sources and place them on the ready reference shelves.
Library staff and clients select resources that are easiest to use event though those might not provide the best information. Useful sources that require some effort to understand and use effectively will require considerable "handselling" by the reference staff.
Clients find resources credible and accurate when information found agrees with their expectations, knowledge and views. This is particularly troublesome with students who may be most comfortable with unsupported information found in the mass media or on the WWW. Without evaluation skills, almost any information source may appear to be authoritative.
I suspect that there is enough evidence on this to move it out of the assumptions class. Most clients quickly become overwhelmed with information. Thy can only digest small amounts of information at a time. The eager reference librarian who supplies several sources and search strategies may be disappointed to discover that the user will only examine one or two resources. This is a problem if the user does not come back and ask for addition help when these few resources prove inadequate.
Information professionals often follow the same path in answering a question even if the particulars make a different path more useful to the client. This is likely to be the case when the staff is overwhelmed and little time can be given to individuals or when the staff member is tired and fails to listen with care.
Information professionals may also answer a question by redefining the question to match a familiar strategy or resource. This results in giving a good answer to a question that the user did not ask.
In some cases, the client does not know what she wants or needs. Students, for example, may not understand the assignment expectations. The reference interview becomes especially important here because without it the user is likely to be wholly unsuccessful.
Some clients may disguise the real question with a generality because they are anxious about the subject, especially if it is controversial. They generally know what they want, but don't want to be connected with the topic.
The reference encounter, like that between physician and patient, is a one to one relationship with the information professional in command. However, it may be better to see this as a shared responsibility with both the user and the professional contributing toward success.
Evidence strongly suggests that most reference encounters do not include a reference interview. Perhaps, there is no need for an interview or there may be not time for one. Still, the thoughtful, full reference interview is not common. Can we afford the interview? There may be too few professionals and too many customers. Why not take questions at face value?
Experience and the literature suggest that each of these questions affects success:
This model assumes that wants will need to be transformed into needs so that the client will receive the right information. The interview needs to yield enough information to allow the professional to search successfully.
One purpose of this type of interview is to create a dialog between client and the librarian. Open-ended questions, those that cannot be answered with "yes" or "no" and force a more substantial response, work well here. They should involve the user and help to focus the search. Often, these are the who, what, why, where and when questions that journalists use. "Why" questions are most difficult since they involve privacy issues. Here are a few examples:
Some research suggests that about 80 percent of all reference encounters follow this model. This is the mainstream. The primary emphasis is on understanding the questions asked. We may assume that the client knows what she needs, but that need may not be clearly expressed. There is no attempt to identify the problem or how the information will be used.
Closed-end questions limit responses to an obvious option. They do not usually stimulate a dialog. Questions usually elicit short answers such as "yes" and "no." This approach often leads quickly to an obvious source [but it may not be the appropriate one]. Here are a few examples:
The more that the client knows about local holdings, the less likely that she will limite herself to one or two highly visible sources. Users often ask for resources that have used in the past. Users with more and better library experience will have more realistic expectations and perhaps expect more.
The more that the client knows about resources on the topic, the more likely that she will be aware of possibilities. She may have exhausted the obvious local resources, and need to go beyond them. In some situations, the client may be aware of resources available in distant collections, but need help in identifying and retrieving those.
Nearly all academic disciplines, professions, and leisure-time activities have their own jargon or vocabulary. Often, the most important benefit of completing undergraduate survey courses is to become familiar with the nomenclature. The more familiar the user is with this specialized vocabulary, the easier it will be for them to use specialized indexing and abstracting services and other subject bibliographies.
Many are uncomfortable in using the library. Many library users are uncomfortable in asking for help. This is a substantial and continuing barrier that prevents many users from benefitting from reference service. Those users who are comfortable in asking for help are more likely to be successful. Those users who are also willing to indicate why the information is needed or what they hope to do with it are most likely to be successful.
Being able to identify the problem that the information will solve makes an enormous difference. Consider the difference between the student who clearly understands what the professor wants and the student who doesn't. The client who knows what she needs and how the information will be used is much more likely to have a successful experience.
The client who wants a quick, simple answer may not get a good one. The client who is patient and willing to deal with sources that require more effort and thought is likely to be successful. Some queries cannot be handled in only a minute or two.
The WWW has encouraged users to believe that almost any reference question can be answered at home with just a few strokes of the keyboard. Convenience has become more important that the quality or the utility of the information found. Those who are willing to go to the library and work directly [face to face] with reference staff are more likely to be successful.
The successful reference professional cares about clients [empathy] and enjoys face to face interactions. She is not judgmental and cheerful serves all regardless of their appearance or status. Her style and manner keep clients at ease. She is careful to insure that users do not lose face. Working the desk is something that is a reward rather than a punishment. She really enjoys helping people to solve problems. She is never too busy too help and walks the floor when the press of business allows.
In working with the client, she encourages interaction and participation. She keeps the client informed of what she is doing and why. In particular, she avoids premature recommendations.
The reference librarian is able to explain what has been done, and why. If possible, the librarian contacts users to see if their needs were met and if they were successful. Each encounter with a user ends with proper closure. In particular, it is important for the professional and the client to know what will happen next.
In all of the above, body language is extremely important. Success in public service requires:
Above all, the reference librarian must be a good listener. Active listening is a skill that can be learned and sharpened. It requires focused attention on the user regardless of the circumstances.
Putting the user at ease and good listening are preconditions for interview success. Still, being able to ask the right question in the right manner makes all the difference in the world. To understand the need, you must ask a question about the situation that generated it [why do you need information?]. Users may not wish to reveal the situation because of privacy and loss of face issues. In a few cases, users may reveal more than the professional wishes to hear.
To understand the need, you must understand how the client is going to use the information sought [ "I could help you better if I knew how you will be using this information"]. Again, privacy issues can be a concern. The skillful questioner will be able to establish rapport and ask questions in a natural, non-threatening way.
To help the client, you must know what she has already done (prior search history). This question needs to be handled in such a way that the user does not lose face or feels inadequate. Without some skill, this type of question can be seen as a put-down by the user.
As mentioned above, it is important to be able to acknowledge and restate the question quickly and naturally. Paraphrasing the question is often useful. It also demonstrates to the user that the librarian is focused and paying attention.
The successful reference professional is familiar with a broad range of reference sources in different formats. Her knowledge of local and some distant collections is substantial. She has an active current awareness program to keep up with new resources. In addition to her general knowledge, she is more than familiar with some subject areas likely to interest community members. She is able to match resources to queries and knows how to use these resources effectively.
Competence also includes her knowledge of the reference interview and an ability to discover what information is needed.
The successful reference librarian is able to identify constraints that need to be considered. The amount of time available is one example. Patron attributes likely to affect information use is another. Gaps in the local collection could be another.
The thoughtful professional needs to know what can reasonably be done. Often, limits will need to be placed on the search. Only a few searches can be comprehensive. That doesn't mean that the librarian can give up whenever a difficult question appears. Working with the user, and being aware of constraints, the librarian is aware of realistic expectations and shares those with the client.
As much as possible, potential problems are anticipated. Too little information available and too much available information are typical problems that will be anticipated by the experienced librarian.
The environment where the interaction occurs plays a substantial role in success. A friendly, attractive environment will attract users and more questions. A dark, unfriendly environment may limit use to the hard core user. Limited hours discourage use. Longer hours, especially for evenings and weekends, should increase use.
Ideally, when someone enters the library, they should find it quite simple and straight forward to locate the reference department. More than adequate signage is essential.
A logical, highly visible arrangement should make it easy to find help and particular items in collections. Service points should be well marked and highly visible. Friendly, approachable staff should be seen from throughout the area.
Reference staff should be walking the floor or scanning the floor if they are at the desk. When reference staff work at the desk and eye contact is minimal, customers feel that the staff are "too busy" to bother.
Policies and procedures provide reference staff with rules about such things as how much time to spend with a client or if the telephone call is more important than the patron at the desk.
Orientation, on-the-job training, and continuing education opportunities should be reflected in appropriate policies. Measures of success should also be highly visible in mission, goals, and objectives and in the regular evaluation of reference staff.
One of the notable trends in library staffing in the past few decades has been the replacement of professionals by para-professionals. While this has been most visible in the technical services, it is likely to impact reference service too. The proper mix of paraprofessionals and professionals can yield considerable success.