This volume examining key factors related to successful reference service practices provides librarians with an important and significantly different perspective on the reference process. Author Jo Bell Whitlatch describes the major factors that need to be considered to obtain a comprehensive view of the reference process in academic libraries, arguing that the understanding of the reference process can be enhanced by borrowing from current research in other disciplines that place an increasing emphasis on service organizations rather than on manufacturing organizations. The book identifies major studies and theories related to how people who are served participate in organizations. Further, Whitlatch discusses how such studies can contribute to an understanding of the academic reference librarian's role. In addition, the study that constitutes a central part of The Role of the Academic Reference Librarian reports on the results of testing parts of a model of the reference process. The material presented here is drawn from four principal sources: the literature on reference service; broader literature on service organizations from the disciplines of business, psychology, and sociology; the author's professional experience; and a detailed study of reference encounters in five academic libraries that assesses reference service effectiveness by focusing on the librarian's perception of the quality of service, the library users' perception of the quality of service, and whether or not the information sought was located. Included are tables and figures that graphically enhance the text. For academic librarians and library researchers, the volume will serve as a guide to designing studies of reference services that will add to the present understanding of the subject. Graduate students in library and information science will find this handbook indispensable for the successful practice of reference services.

Reference and user services librarians need to be in charge of their own careers. And when it comes to their own professional development, that means being proactive. This resource will enable professionals at every stage of their careers to honestly assess their skills and knowledge. Utilizing the RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) Professional Competencies as a framework for reflecting on strengths as well as gaps in expertise, it guides readers through developing strategies to enhance their professional standing and potential, thereby leading to a more satisfying career. In this book former RUSA president Whitlatch, who chaired the initial committee establishing the Competencies, teams up with expert trainer Woodard to introduce the seven categories of the RUSA Professional Competencies, explaining the ways in which each is important to both practitioner and institution; demonstrate how to create a personal development plan that focuses on development priorities; discuss the Association for Talent Development (ATD) Competency Development Model and other action plans; offer guidance for setting goals and measuring progress; share information on a variety of development activities that readers can undertake to maintain and enhance professional competencies, including formal training opportunities, on-the-job experiences, and self-directed initiatives; and provide recommended self-evaluation techniques such as writing up notes from group discussions, exercises, short verbal and written reports, crafting presentations on a topic, and sharing concrete examples of how skills were applied in the workplace. This book not only authoritatively tells practitioners, managers, students and educators what is expected of reference and user services librarians, but also points the way towards achieving those competencies.