Reference Services

Reference Services Kate Lambaria (bio) and Joe C. Clark (bio) The number of reference transactions in academic libraries is dramatically declining,1 and given the abundance of free resources on the internet, some may question whether music reference services are valuable. Many people believe that everything is available online and discoverable via Google. However, librarians understand that this is not the case and that the world of music research is immense; a guide could be quite helpful in navigating its complexities. As part of the Notes' 2000 "Music Librarianship at the Turn of the Century" special issue, David Lasocki addressed the past, present, and possible future of music reference.2 Subsequent publications have also examined these topics.3 By exploring a definition of reference as well as its practices, developments, and challenges, the authors provide an updated view on these services. The authors posit that, while the goal remains the same, the who, where, and how continues to change.4 DEFINITION AND GOAL According to the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a section of the American Library Association, "reference is providing assistance by using expertise in response to an information need."5 This expertise is essential. Further knowledge of disciplines other than music and its research resources is necessary due to the increase in interdisciplinary research. Reference differs from other user education efforts [End Page 58] (e.g., instruction) in that it is delivered in response to an immediate need and is by nature a more reactive practice. Because it is an important aspect of the user education continuum, librarians should proactively promote reference services during other user education activities, including course-integrated instruction sessions and workshops. The role of the reference librarian has clearly evolved to include a stronger emphasis on outreach and programming, as shown by RUSA highlighting "Promoting Services" as a theme in reference work.6 In addition to meeting immediate needs, reference transactions should instruct users to find, evaluate, and utilize information so as to become critical thinkers and informed consumers. In 2000, Lasocki clearly articulated a teaching role in reference services.7 Two years after that essay's publication, James K. Elmborg argued for a reference pedagogy based on constructivist learning theory.8 Elmborg's proposed approach focused on asking questions over providing answers to patrons. Music reference literature acknowledges the importance of instruction; hence, a teaching and learning goal for reference services is not new and should continue to be a focus moving forward. A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT The nature of reference services transformed over the last two decades as the information environment and users' information-seeking behaviors and expectations evolved. A quick internet search can yield correct answers to factual questions. Patrons come to the library with years of experience searching for and finding information online. However, many still need assistance navigating library tools and the academic research process, neither of which are inherently intuitive. Many patrons grapple with crafting a research question, extrapolating keywords and related terms, and broadening or narrowing searches using Boolean operators–essentially, developing an effective search strategy for use with appropriate library databases. As Helen Georgas noted in 2014, "Google makes it 'easy' for users—no limits whatsoever are available on the initial search screen, and the Advanced Search option is almost impossible to find. The presentation of limits, or lack thereof, highlights two vastly different approaches to, or philosophies of, search."9 [End Page 59] Digital native status is not a predictor of information literacy,10 and music undergraduates often lack basic skills while experiencing overconfidence in their research abilities.11 Patrons will continue to need assistance to identify and navigate appropriate library tools, as well as build off their previous experience and existing knowledge.12 Anyone can easily create and distribute information online. This allows new voices to engage in the music discourse. Our understanding of who gets to be an authority on a topic has advanced, as has what types of sources are acceptable. Although an interview with a hyperpop artist posted to YouTube may be a reliable source of information on that emerging genre, not all such videos are credible sources. The ability to critically evaluate information and authority is paramount. Easily discoverable sources...