The questions i saw formed a great resource, so i have taken what were old paper copies of tips and advice and updated it with newer, online content. While the reference interview remains the vehicle whereby librarians are able to. If an mls librarian chooses to participate in the certification, he or she will automatically receive an advanced level certification. We believe, most of our visitors can become more likely to succeed in their job interview with hardwork and practice. Five great questions i was asked as a reference librarian. There are many definitions of the reference interview, but they all boil down to the same thing. This paper examined the reference interview literature over the past 10 years to determine how thinking. Highsmith, 1998 older but still good favorite free genealogy websites and databases ancestry library edition. The reference interview staff website u of i library.
Virtual reference interviewing and neutral questioning. Date of the interview is needed, make it as accurate as possible. The consensus is to go for quality, not quantity here. A reference librarian in the digital environment provides digital reference services through email, web forms, ask services, chat reference, videoconferencing or webcamera services, digital reference robots, and collaborative digital reference. The role of librarians in the development of education in nigeria final report by victoria o. Mary is the one with the reference need, as she is looking for advice on graduate library science degree programs, and her library colleagues are all helping her out. To borrow a medical analogy, reference librarians diagnose and treat information deficiencies.
So, here are a few librarian interview questions to get selected for the interview. By the 19th century, the understanding metamorphosed into a building, room, or set of rooms containing a collection of books for the use of the. For instance, if the patron is a biology graduate student studying cancer, his needs would be scholarly, scientific, current. The accidental law librarian information today, inc. Services association rusa, the reference interview is the heart of the reference transaction and is crucial to the success of the process strong listening and questioning skills are necessary for a positive interaction. As we can see from the video, its rarely as simple as it seems.
Think back to your reference interview class or look up reference interview and refresh your memorya lot of this is asking questions and thinking creatively, and you know how to do this. Ask this question to learn how much importance a candidate places on maintaining a customeroriented space. The term librarian in this document applies to all who provide reference and informational services directly to library users. Practice 27 library assistant interview questions with professional interview answer examples with advice on how to answer each question. Comfort in that situation does not necessarily translate to an atease attitude when speaking publically. Now i normally dont blog about specific patron encounters, but this one was years ago circa 2003 when i was a newbie librarian. He or she may also offer a remote access via internet to virtual sources. Lawyers at this time, as part of their professional training, sat in court and. Maine state library voluntary librarian certification program. The reality is, however, that many librarians are on the cutting edge of many new technologies and much more invested in quality customer. These cover all of the most common jobs, and many of the less common ones too. Ramos 35 th alap anniversary forum june 8, 2007 uplb ceat auditorium. Genealogy basics for library staff explore tools and resources library staff need to conduct an effective genealogy reference interview plus basic search strategies and case studies to help hone your skills.
Reference service is sometimes referred to as reference and information services or reader services. The librarian must be effective in identifying the patrons information needs and must do so in a manner that keeps patrons at ease. The importance of the reference interview cannot be stressed enough. School librarians an overview sciencedirect topics. With my newly minted mls, i thought i better do a good reference interview. The evolution of the reference interview scholarly commons at. Common librarian interview questions with answers wisestep. Francisca goldsmith is an experienced reference librarian and instructor who will demonstrate and instruct you on what you need to know about working the reference desk. Mlis 7125, genealogy for librarians, 1 valdosta state. The steps of the reference interview state library of iowa. The 25 most common interview questions complete guide. How do you develop and maintain a library collection that will meet the needs of our students, parents, and staff. The role of the teacher librarian is considered in more detail by the school library association of south australia slasa, which makes reference to managing the school librarys automated system and recommends that teacher librarians contribute to the school web page or intranet slasa 2003.
Patron misconceptions, or why the reference interview is necessary. Ama writing, citing, tutoring, and studying resources. Pdf teaching the reference interview through practicebased. Library of skillbased interview questions here are nearly 200 sample interview questions that hiring managers can use to spot the presence of important soft skills. Approved by the rusa board of directors, september 7, 2017. The word librarian, for some, may conjure up an image of a fussy, old school marm who is more interested in maintaining silence from people than the people themselves. Without conducting a thorough reference interview, the librarian was not able to assist the user in identifying the facts which may determine the legal issues involved. Oct 11, 2010 reference interview the interpersonal communication which occurs between a reference librarian and a library patron to determine the users specific information needs, which are not necessarily the same as the question initially posed.
Here are a librarians job description, work environment, specializations, educational requirements, skills, interview questions, and salary information. With an additional 6 professionally written interview answer examples. A man approached the reference desk and asked a simple question. A free inside look at librarian interview questions and process details for 184 companies all posted anonymously by interview candidates. Its easy, though, to let your business reference fears get the better of you and to forget this in the. The goal of the technology reference interview is to figure out how much the patron knows already so the librarian knows where to begin. May 20, 2014 after years of practicing adult collection development skills in a mediumsized suburban public library, i have discovered that specific shortcut rules have become second nature to me. I thought it would be fun to compile a handful of the best, most unique, and most headscratching questions i was asked as a reference librarian. The accidental health sciences librarian is an excellent starting point, targeted primarily to students and prospective health sciences librarians as it provides a solid overview of this specialty. The intent of is for our users to build confidence for their job interview, by using our thousands of interview questions and answers as they practice and prepare for their interview. Shining a light on the reference librarian role as reference services adapt to users needs.
Discovering the needs of each individual who comes in to the library calls for people skills. I dont really know what i need, but the librarian will. An interview kate at the merrimack college library. Types of reference questions specific item questions citations or partial citations topical questions mixed. You worked hard on something, only to be told to change priorities and do it some other way. And of course, a librarian never talks down to a patron or talks at them without listening while doing a reference interview. Basic reference skills for nonreference librarians ecourse.
Let me share with you what i did when i interviewed for the librarian job i have. We request three items, uploaded to the online webpage. Reference services definition reference service is the supreme and ultimate function of the library. Beutter manus music librarian for education and outreach vanderbilt university. Libraries unlimited, 2008 librarians guide to genealogical research.
You recently spoke to csusm librarian judy opdahl about her career and will use information learned in your paper. How do you, the reference provider, work together with a patron to figure out what it is they need to know and how to help them find it. Sep 10, 20 this video is based on the 6th edition of the publication manual of the american psychological association. Candidates should give a shortlist of strengths, and back each one up with examples that illustrate the strength. The librarian maintains the books collections of the library as well as other material such as. A librarians guide is aimed at those who control the most effective of a genealogists resources. The oneonone connection with a library patronthe classic reference interviewdoes not count here. American library association is collaborating with jstor to digitize. Sometimes the first question a patron asks is really just trying to find out.
Ennis, a graduate of the university of tennessees school of information is a systems librarian, and mitchell, a graduate from georgia college and. Getting hired for a post of a librarian requires a certain level of qualification and experience and, other than that a candidate needs to prepare themselves for the interview process. A reference interview is a conversation between a librarian and a library user, usually at a reference desk, in which the librarian responds to the users initial explanation of his or her information need by first attempting to clarify that need and then by directing the user to appropriate information resources. I created this resource after cleaning out an old file cabinet in my office where i came across interview questions from my first librarian job search in 2002. This is especially true if the question will be coded for follow up, a good reference interview is really essential, and it helps. Itsekor centre for learning resources covenant university ota, nigeria victoria. The role of the teacher librarian is considered in more detail by the school library association of south australia slasa, which makes reference to managing the school librarys automated system and recommends that teacher librarians contribute to the. The role of librarians in the 21 st century paper presented by mila m. Institutionalizing the reference interview means that it is more likely that training is. Librarianpatron interaction in the virtual environment evelyn l. Top reference guides, howto books, and finding aids c. Librarian interview questions and answers will guide you that a librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs. Catherine ross and her colleagues at the university of western ontario emphasize that the reference interview should be required, not just mentioned, in library policies. Library assistant interview questions if you have a degree in library science and experience in organizing library activities then library assistant is the perfect suitable job for you.
Deborah hamilton, strategic services librarian law collection. What type of schedule would you set up for library classes. How to interview for a librarian job information space. Patrons can be reticent about expressing the precise nature of their inquiry, so patience and tact may be. To maintain that level, the librarian must complete 5 libraryrelated courses, workshops, or webinars during the calendar year after being issued certification. The reference interview is the heart of the reference transaction and is crucial to the success of the process. Thomas ottaviano suny geneseo rochester regional library. Library of skillbased interview questions important soft.
Download absolutely free librarian job interview questions and answers guide in pdf format. Jul 01, 2011 there are many definitions of the reference interview, but they all boil down to the same thing. Entire issues of library journals devoted to genealogy b. It explains how to reference sources within the text of your paper 0. Kroeger reference service as assistance in the use of resources of the library. Just the basics music reference workshop vanderbilt university october 10, 20 presented by sara manus music librarian for education and outreach anne potter wilson music library vanderbilt university sara. Examples of how you can cite this in the paper are shown here. Library users can consult the staff at the reference desk for help in finding information. A free inside look at reference librarian interview questions and process details for other companies all posted anonymously by interview candidates. Download 17 librarian professional interview questions pdf guide. Reference interview 101 kaukauna public library staff training. Public libraries see your reference librarian for the sources that will best fit your needs. So naturally, in a technology interview the librarian will be talking with the patrons. Position definition organizes and supervises the services and activities in the reference services division, including reference, community outreach programs and automated reference services.
Basic reference skills for nonreference librarians, is a fullonline course designed to help librarians who have never done reference work get up to speed. Professional competencies for reference and user services. Download 17 librarian interview questions and answers pdf. The moment i got the call for an interview, i immediately asked my partner to help me prepare.
If youve ever thought a librarians job was easy and if you have, youve already got to know how wrong you are perhaps these questions will highlight some of the challenges faced every day. Nebraska star reference manual the reference interview. Strong listening and questioning skills are necessary for a positive interaction. The practical librarians guide to collection development. Shining a light on the reference librarian role as. Fundamentals of library and information science abdulwahab olanrewaju issa, ph. Curry texas womans university abstract this paper examined the reference interview literature over the past 10 years to determine how thinking. The 25 most common interview questions, with explanations and red flags, and. Fundamentals of library and information science abdulwahab o. A librarian s guide jack simpson this book offers novice and experienced reference librarians an introduction to triedandtrue genealogy. Part 1 legal research basics coall csl deborah hamilton, strategic services librarian law collection. You are not allowed to upload these documents and share on other websites execpt social networking sites. A librarian serves as a point of reference who can influence and direct others in their quest.
Of particular benefit was the fact that even the most basic personal. Its also an interesting take on a reference interview for and by librarians. A librarians guide jack simpson this book offers novice and experienced reference librarians an introduction to triedandtrue genealogy. Mon, 24 june at 6am analyze african american lives, the first of series of multiepisodic documentaries tracing the genealogy of several notable african americans. Business professional development csusm university. Librarians guide to genealogical research james swan. Using a structured reference interview, the librarian works with the library user to clarify their needs and determine what information sources will fill them. Several of the examples the author shared demonstrated a real need for refresher courses in customer service and reference interview skills, which distracted from the content and did not inspire a feeling of confidence in the authors skills as a librarian. Reference books search strategies the quality of resources making recommendations the reference interview directional. Overview basics of legal research legal reference interview finding forms and clinics.
The public speaking scenario ive just described to you was real. Project muse the accidental law librarian by anthony aycock. Everyone who lives and works in your community needs information. Basic reference skills for non reference librarians, is a fullonline course designed to help librarians who have never done reference work get up to speed. The most recent search for the referenceinstruction librarian had over 180 qualified applicants which means they got past our initial screen in the online human resources form. Library philosophy and practice 2008 february 2 the answer to that question will differ greatly depending upon who the patron is. In light of what taylor says, we can look at the librarianuser interaction with more awareness even if we put aside a possible library anxiety issue there may still be. Rajasthan subordinate and ministerial services selection board released the exam date for investigatorinspector posts. Describe a particularly stressful or chaotic situation at the reference desk. Pdf purpose this study aims to explore the effectiveness and learning. Following the steps of the reference interview can help library customers articulate what information they really need. What do you do when you get the call to interview for a librarian job. Basic reference skills for nonreference librarians is a fullonline course designed to help librarians who have never done reference work get up to speed. Basic reference skills for non reference librarians is a fullonline course designed to help librarians who have never done reference work get up to speed.