Reference services
and functions may be discussed under two broad
groups:
- Responsive Services
- Anticipatory Services
Responsive services are those that are provided
in response to requests for assistance in finding
answers to specific questions. While as, anticipatory services are those that
are offered in anticipation of demand.
Now let us discuss
these two functions.
Responsive Services
There are various ways in which requests for documents or information may
reach the reference division
of a library. The principal ways are through the following:
1. Personal visit by user.
A user may personally visit the library to seek some information. In such
instances, it is possible for the
reference staff member to have a dialogue with the user so that he can understand the exact requirement and commence the search for the desired
information with the help of
the library catalogue, or appropriate bibliographical tools or reference books,
depending upon the type of
information requirement.
2. Visit to the library by a person
who represents the actual user.
Usually, the representative of the actual user would be his personal
secretary or a research
assistant or occasionally a colleague or a friend.
The person who visits the library on behalf of the actual user, may state the need as instructed by the user and sometimes may usefully assist
in the process of determining the nature of the request
or question.
3. Telephone call.
A user may be too busy to visit the library to seek help,
or the library may he too far from the place of work to make a personal visit; hence he or his representative may make a telephone call for information. Although it may be difficult to get into
a lengthy dialogue to get a clear
idea of the need, it is possible to get clarification of the request, in the subsequent calls if not in the first.
4. Written communication.
A user may send a letter, a telegram or a telex/fax message, depending on
the urgency of his need for
information. The request may also be sent through a messenger in the form of a note. These cases do not allow any
kind of immediate dialogue between the user and the library
staff. It might
be possible to make telephone
call to seek clarification, but in cases 'where there is no telephone
number available or telephone call may seem to
be inadequate for details of information sought, the only means of seeking
further clarification would be
through further correspondence. It is, however, oteu1uo: of requests
by written communication that they are often much more clearly
and coherently stated
than oral ones.
Reference Enquiries and Questions
The reference
enquiries may be categorized into the following types:
I. Directional guidance in the use of the library, its collections or services, including initiation in the use
of the library for fresh persons.
II. Ready reference service
or short range reference service.
III Research level or long range reference service.
IV. General help.
I) Directional guidance
Directional guidance is generally sought by persons who visit the library
occasionally but may be generally familiar
with library practices. Such persons may seek help or assistance, for example, in locating the
current issue of a periodical, or where books on computer programming are displayed or in general to know what
services are available in the library. Another
form of directional guidance, particularly for new entrants
to higher secondary schools, colleges, and universities, is an organised and
regular programme in the use of the
library or an introduction to the library and its services. Such initiation programme
for fresh persons
is to be suitably designed
in relation to the level at which it is required in school, college,
university or public libraries. Usually, the contents of such programmes include Objectives of the
library; its organisational structure and senior officers of the library; the collection, its form, variety and
languages and its organisation and
display in the stack room and at other places; the library catalogue and how to
use it; reference collections and their location; reading rooms; lending
services and borrowing
privileges; reference and information services; reprographic services;
library rules and procedures; a map
of the library including locations of washroom, smoking rooms, rest room, etc.
II) Ready Reference Service
S.R Ranganathan defined Ready Reference Service
as reference service
finished or replied
in a very short time in a minute if possible. These include such
reference services which direct the
readers to reference sources immediately and information is gathered within short time. Generally, the ready reference
services are of the nature of fact finding that can be finished or answered in a very short time — in a short
moment if possible. The reference
librarian uses sources like reference book, online searches or offline/ online catalogue search for providing such kind
of services. In the present context the need of ready reference services arises from the fact of the complex and
vast nature of a data, information and knowledge, its artificiality, and arrangement of information. The distinguished
person, fellows, foreign delegates, dignitaries, scholarly users generally approach
for such type of services.
Sometimes some customary
and regular patrons/users also need the fact finding
reference service because
of shortage of time to locate and search
their queries
Ready Reference Services includes the following queries:
a. Which are demanded direct
b.
Which are demanded
by sharp medias
c.
Which are simple
d. Which are answered on the table
of Reference Librarian
e.
Which involves short answers
f.
Which are responded
within short time or within
5 minutes or less
The Reference Sources which can be used for Ready Reference Queries are sources
which are Fact Finding Sources.
These include:
I.
Dictionaries
II.
Directories/Handbooks
III.
Census Reports
IV.
Year Books/ Annuals
V.
Biographies
VI.
Gazetteer
VII.
Atlas
VIII.
Encyclopaedias
IX.
Publications and websites
of the Specific Organizations
X.
Authentic Online Web Based Sources
XI.
Online Publishers Sources
including Online Databases
III) Long Range Reference Service
S R Ranganthan stressed that Long Range Reference Service is more used by
the public and special libraries.
This service indicates long time in providing reference service. It is given to the special readers demanding
special information. Normally it takes more than 5 minutes to provide the service with the help of reference
sources. It is based on referencing
every possible source of information to arrive at the required solution; as such, it is not possible to deliver this
type of service immediately. The search in the long range reference service starts at the reference books,
literature and online reference sources
in present context and then goes to the books, reports, monographs, articles in periodicals in physical and online
format. If the information is not available in the library sources
whether physical or online, then the search can even go to other local libraries
and even to the other libraries
in the country. The long range reference service provided today can become the ready reference
service tomorrow, as by this time the reference librarian will be able to locate the material speedily from his
past experience and developed skills.
The scope of long range reference service has now even expanded to bibliographical service, referral service,
translation service which are considered as long range reference services.
References and Further Reading
Davinson, D. (1980). Reference Service. London: Clive Bingley.
Egyankosh (nd). BLIS-06 Information Services (module).
Fourie, Ina. (2001) Current Awareness Services in an Electronic Age: The Whole Picture.
Guha, B. (1983). Documentation and Information. Calcutta: World Press.
Hamilton, Feona (1995). Current Awareness: Current Techniques. USA: Ashgate Publishing
Company. Kemp, A. (1979). Current Awareness Services. London: Clive Bingley.
Katz, W.A. (1982). Introduction to Reference Work. In: Reference Services and Reference
Processes: 4th ed. Vol. II. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Krishan Kumar (1996). Reference Service. 5th ed. New Delhi: Vani Educational Books.
Ojala, Marydee (1991). Staying Alive Online with Online Clipping Services Online. 15(3),
80-82.
Ranganathan, S.R. (1961). Reference Service. 2nd ed. Bombay: Asia Publishing House.
Ranganathan, S.R. (1963). Documentation and its Facets. Bombay: Asia Publication.
