Managing and Evaluating Reference Service

                

School Library Learning Commons offers students and staff alike a host of services and products to aid them in their information search.  Reference services play a significant role in helping students finding appropriate and sufficient material for their research project or inquiry assignments, as well as develop literacy and technological skills.  All too often though, many students do not know about the reference services and resources available to them.  For example, a student in one of my class was researching “The Treaty of Versaille” in his support block. I sat back, observed and wondered how this student will approach his research assignment.  As a lot of students do, he jumps on to a computer and went straight on to Google.   At this point, I just had to intervene and offer him another source to find information about his topic of choice.  I showed him how to access and navigate the databases on the school library site.  The search results displayed 44 articles from one database. I explained that the material in the school library database is more accurate and appropriate than Googling it.  To my surprise, he said to me, “I have never known about this.”  I thought, how can this grade 10 student not have learned about the reference services and resources available to him at this school library?

Well, I think one reason is that students don’t really know what reference services are and what services are available to them.  I think these services need to be promoted more.  One easy way to promote the reference services available to students is to have posters on the library walls, outlining the references services students can access. It could be posted alongside the library hours.  It can be something as simple as the following posters.

Furthermore, subject teachers can help promote the use of other reference resources too. Perhaps make it a rule that when researching, students may not use Google as their main source of information. Students need to be encouraged to make use of the databases and other reference resources in the library such as Encyclopedia, Almanacs, Atlases, etc. In instances like this, co-teaching and collaborating with the TL is most beneficial for the students and the subject teacher.  I think once students know that these resources and services are available to them and they have practiced it a few times, they may see the value in using an online database and other reference resources and services.  When they see value in something then they are most likely to utilize it.

The goal of reference service is to provide students with an answer to their questions or point them in the right direction.  I think that a well-stocked and a well-balanced of print reference and technology-based reference resources, in the collection can help achieve that goal.  However, the reality of today’s school library comes up short.  From my own school library, there is an imbalance between the print reference and technology-based reference resources. See video for an author's perspective on libraries going digital.  Hearing from others in this course all our libraries are in a variety of shapes with some being more resource-rich than others and vice-versa.  TLs try very hard to make the best choices in terms of evaluating, selecting, and acquiring reference resource for their collection.  Many keep in mind that decisions are based on the specific learning community’s needs.  However, despite TLs’ best efforts sometimes reference resources that may be deemed to be a valuable addition to the reference collection does not become a part of the collection due to a lack of funds. 

 As cited in many research papers, and in the Leading Leaning-Standards for School Library Learning Commons in Canada document.  Student achievement and literacy scores are positively affected where there exists a library that is active and thriving. Overall, it is important to have a well promoted,  well-managed, and well-maintained reference services to reflect the needs of the learning community.

Reference

All images retrieved from Google images.

ABC News Breakfast By Patrick Wood. (2017, September 25). Is the school library a thing of the past? Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-25/school-libraries-disappearing-as-the-digital-age-takes-over/8980464

Riedling, C. A., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013).  Reference skills for the school librarian: Tools and tips (3^rd ed.).  Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth.

(2014, ). Leading Learning – Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Retrieved February 16, 2018, from http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llsop.pdf