New Models, Old Values of Reference Service

In libraries users frequently need some personal assistance. This is considered one of the most important tasks of libraries and information centers. However assistance in locating specific pieces of information is generally called reference service. Thus reference service can be defined as that phase of library work which is directly concerned with assistance to readers in securing information and in using the resources of the library in study and research. Service is based upon a set of core functions that have remained valid since the earliest days of the public library movement. Inherent in those functions is a set of core values, including accuracy, thoroughness, timeliness, authority, instruction, access, individualization, and knowledge. Models of reference service that emphasize different aspects of those values take very different forms. In determining the best model for a specific library, the values of the community that the library serves must be taken into account. For anyone using libraries today, a reference service is a standard feature. Regardless of the type of library, the size of its collections, or the demo-graphics of its users, patrons expect to get help with everything from complex research projects to finding materials in the collections. Service has become almost synonymous with libraries. This was not always the case. Reference service is a relatively recent development in library history, and the methods in which reference services are provided are still evolving.