Approved-By:  "Kara L. Robinson" <KROBINSO@KENTVM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.libref-l
Date:         Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:36:48 EDT
From:         "Ed Perry, Sci/Tech librarian, Univ of Regina,
              Canada" <PERRYEDW@MAX.CC.UREGINA.CA>
Subject:      Reference class / Christina

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Just read the message from Gretchen Mc Cord, and though I might as well put
 in my 2 cents worth as well. Not sure if my comments will be anything which
 is teachable in a ref class, but may be useful as background info for students
 on a practicum, or newly graduated.

Dress for men on the reference desk. This varies from one institution to the
next. Generally, the three piece suit doesn't go over terribly well with the
undergraduate population. Casual dress like sports shirt works well, and helps
with the approachability factor. For first couple of months in a new semester,
a tie also helps. Without it, if you're not actually at the ref desk, you'll ge
t the " Do you work here? " question. With a tie, patrons will automatically
think you're part of the reference staff. May sound crazy, but it works.

Body language and facial expression is VERY IMPORTANT. NOT just when you are
relating face to face with a patron either. When at the desk, look up, and be
aware of what's going on around you. Be proactive, and watch for the patron who
 is reluctant to " bother " a reffer who obviOuslyis busy with paper work. It
 often requires no more than a raised eyebrow or a smile to encourage one of th
ese reluctant customers to approach you.

If you're a new librarian, and are working cheek by jowl with a reference
assistant who has ten year's experience on the desk, ASK FOR HELP from them if
you hit something you can't handle. No matter how much experience you have,
you'll always have to draw on other people's pooled knowledge to do a good job.

Read the general journal literature for the subject areas you handle most
frequently. In my case, Science, New Scientist, Nature, Geotimes, etc. This wil
l keep you aware of " hot " topics in those areas. Listen to the local news
channel. This will often give you advance warning about questions which will
come at you over the desk the next day or week.

As much as possible, try to keep up with the general background knowledge for
your subject areas. Part of your job as a reference librarian is to help the
undergraduate student( who often comes in with an essay topic as tightly
defined as an amoeba in a hot frying pan ) to narrow down and define that term
paper topic. " I've got to write a paper on psychology " could end up as a
paper on causes of anorexia in college students. " The Black Death " may end up
 as an essay on modern reservoirs of the plague in rodents in the south west
 USA. Then there's the sneaky prof who gives a topic like " Fossils are
 accidents " , and you have to help analyze what it means ( What are the condit
ions which lead to formation of fossils? Once you have those, you can start to
 talk about whether they are rare enough to be called accidents .)

But YOU have to know something about what's going on in the subject area before
 you can help the student with this defining down process.

Finally, probably the most important thing for any new ref libn to ask themselv
es after six months on the job is  " Am I having fun ? "  If not, why not. You'
re never going to get rich as a librarian. If you're not having fun as part of
 the professional experience on the reference desk, maybe you should look for
 another niche in the profession. The reference desk is too high stress an
 environment for anyone to take over the long run if the basic reference functi
on doesn't give you personal satisfaction and enjoyment.

If I had graphics capability here, I should likely draw a cartoon of balding
middle aged librarian standing on soap box.  Hope this blather will be of some
use to you in setting up your course, Christina.

     PERRYEDW@MAX.CC.UREGINA.CA
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU