Honoring Accounts in Reference Encounters

Carol A. Leibiger, Associate ProfessorAlan W. Aldrich, Assistant ProfessorUniversity Libraries, University of South Dakota

Communication has at least two dimensions.

Relational dimension

Content dimension

Reference transactions are about content and relationships

Here’s the beginning of a typical reference interview…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-xvUN93pcY

Evaluation of reference: Accuracy vs. customer satisfaction

S.S. Green (1876)Reference has content and interpersonal dimensions

S.S. Green (1876)Reference has content and interpersonal dimensions

accuracy studies“55% rule”

(Crowley, 1968)

patron satisfaction studies

“willingness to return”(Durrance, 1989)

reference has content and interpersonal dimensions

(Green, 1876)

accuracy increased by attention to quality of interpersonal communication with user

(Gers & Seward, 1985)

Librarians’ and users’ views of content vs. relational dimensions (Radford, 1993)

• Librarians 1. user attitude 2. information and knowledge base (content)3. relationship quality

• Users1. librarian attitude 2. relationship quality3. approachability4. information and knowledge base (content)

What have we learned?

• We know how librarians need to behave in a reference interview… –to increase accuracy –and ensure user satisfaction with the

interpersonal dimension.• We don’t know why.

What have we learned?

Why not?Research on the reference process…• consists of helpful advice and suggestions• rarely goes beyond the exploratory level• lacks a clear theoretical framework

-Harris & Michell, 1986, 86-87

Why are we here?

• We’re not as polite as we could be in our responses to patrons.

• We often miss important information provided by our patrons.

• These affect accuracy and relations.

For instance…

Q: I am a student at University Center in Sioux Falls and am having difficulty logging into the USD database system. Could you please send me the appropriate information to log in? Thank you for your time.

A: To log into the USD databases, you need a USD e-mail name and password.

For instance…

Q: I’m trying to get on the I.D. Weeks Library and it is not accepting my user ID and password. Please let me know what I’m supposed to use. I’m also searching for articles on aging and geriatrics…Any tips? This is all new to me!

A: You first need to start on the Library’s home page. Then click on Research Databases. Then choose the database you want…

Patrons come to us with different forms of requests.

• Simple requests:

Do you have the New York Times on microfilm back to the 19th century? Also, do you have any other major dailies on microfilm for the same period, e.g. Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis Tribune?

Are you open on Veteran’s Day?

Is there a fax machine available for students at the library?

Patrons come to us with different forms of requests.

• Stories with straightforward requests:Hello, my name is X, and I am currently a first year law student. I’m working with the Innocence Project of SD and am in need of an interlibrary loan from the SD State Historical Archives. The documents I would like to research are on microfilm, and the Archives webpage says that the loan of these items costs $8.48/reel. I was wondering if that cost is absorbed by I.D. Weeks Library, or if I would have to pay that myself.

Patrons come to us with different forms of requests.

• Stories with straightforward requests:

I was looking up a research article by using the Wilson Web service. I found the article I was looking for, but I have no idea if it can be found in our library. How can I know by looking at the results? Trends in Biotechnology v. 24 no. 2 (Feb. 2006) p. 62-7. This is the information I received, but it has no other links related to our library.

Patrons come to us with different forms of requests.• Stories with excuses, justifications, or

concessions (= accounts):

I need to find good reviews for the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. I haven’t found anything on it so far, and I have been searching all weekend, and my paper is due tomorrow. All I need is two sources.

Why give an account?

• when a negative

judgment might be made based something said or done (Scott & Lyman, 1968)

• to manage violations of cultural norms

What would be a violation of cultural norms in your library?

Academic library

Public library

School library

An account with an excuse

I chose to find out whether or not a fetus can actually hear music that is being played to them as some people are told. In searching for information - I have a found a few sources, but I am wondering if you could lead me in a direction of finding a few more. I am not sure if I am not typing in the best words for the search to have more results come back, or if my topic is just a topic that will only give back the four-five articles I have found. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated!

The patron demonstrates adherence to a norm of self-help before asking in academic libraries by showing some search results.

A potential excuse is offered to account for why the patron has not found more results. The potential is offset by the suggestion that this topic might have only limited information available.

An account with a justificationI have been accessing Lexis Nexis from home using remote access. For the past few days it has been allowing me to start a search, it pulls up the search results, but when I click on a document link, I get a screen that says my session may have timed out, and it directs me back to the main page. So I tried to access Lexis without remote access, but now I can’t figure out what my password and ID are, and it has told me I’ve exceeded my allotted sign in attempts. I wouldn’t normally bother a librarian with this, but when I tried the “contact us” button, it referred me to the library. If you could help me you’d be my hero forever.

The patron identifies the problem.

The patron justifies asking for help.

An account with a concession

I’m working on a research paper on Hutterite colonies compared to popular society living. I’m trying to find sources in your library. I’m unsure how to go about doing that?? I’ve tried all that I could, and nothing seems to work. I must be doing something wrong. Can you help me?

An excuse is presented.

The patron makes a concession.

What does it mean to be polite?

• A polite response attends to everything in a request (Clark & Schunk, 1980).

Can you tell me the time?

What does it mean to be polite?

• Clark & Schunk (1980) : A polite response attends to everything in a request.

Yes.

It’s 4 PM.

Yes, I can. It’s 4 PM.

Polite responses to accounts

A polite response to a request associated with an account attends to everything in the request…

– The account

– The request

– Any additional information

Consider the followingI am working on a presentation for a Multicultural Assessment class in the School Psychology Department. Mostly the presentation is supposedto relate to current status of this students of North African descent in the US and how to better serve and work with those from this population. I have searched several databases and ERIC, but I am not having much luck. Do you have any suggestions on where to look or search terms?

Your topic is very interesting, but it’s also very focused, which is probably why you’re not finding sources specifically on your subject. You might need to look up information on the demographics and educational issues of students of Northern African descent (in databases like ERIC and Education Research Complete or a social sciences database like SocIndex), then relate that information to what you know or can find about assessment.

Consider the following

I've been trying to log in to My Library Card, and each time it tells me my username/ password are invalid. I haven't had this problem before. I am a PhD student in the English department, and I'm trying to renew my books before they're due on April 15th. Is there any reason that I can't get into my account?

Here are the steps to access your library records. When you are in the “My Records” page, enter in your id-card barcode that is on the back side of the id-card. Enter this number in the first box labeled “Library Barcode ID.” In the second box labeled “Password,” type in your last name using all lowercase letters. Finally, select [your library] from the list of libraries. This should allow you to access your library records.

How would you respond?Good morning. I am wondering if you have any tips on finding information regarding equine therapy for troubled teens. I found a few things within a few of the databases, but nothing substantial. I need to use this data in the next week or so and am not having much luck. Any tips that you have would be appreciated!

Hi, the PsychInfo database will give you some potential hits if you type the phrase “equine therapy”…

Hi, I’m sorry you haven’t had much luck in your search thus far. Let me suggest a few ideas for further searching…

Hi, here is a tip you might try. Go to the PsychInfo database and …

Gers & Seward (1985)

•Improved interpersonal relations in the reference encounter

•Greater user self-disclosure

•Greater accuracy of the information provided (up from 55% to 76%)

Become more aware of your use of language.

Listen for accounts.- Excuses- Justifications- Concessions

Be polite. Attend to all parts of a request.

Contributors

Carol A. LeibigerAssociate ProfessorInformation Literacy CoordinatorUniversity LibrariesU. of South DakotaC.Leibiger@usd.edu605-677-6089

Alan W. Aldrich Assistant ProfessorInstructional Services LibrarianUniversity LibrariesU. of South DakotaAlan.Aldrich@usd.edu605-677-6614