LIBE 467 Theme 2: Maintaining and Evaluating Reference Services and Resources

 

Reflecting back on these last few weeks and the theme of managing and evaluating reference services, I've realized how difficult it is to achieve an ideal library learning commons where reference services are supported fully. I think some of the biggest challenges currently are time and budget when looking at what needs to happen in order to provide reference services in school libraries that will support the learning community's needs. 

Reference Services

It's been said before, and not only by me, but one of the primary (and important) functions of a school librarian is to aid students in using the library. We as teacher-librarians act as guides and facilitators to the information, we provide the means of getting to the information. Chapter 9 in Riedling’s book talks about the reference interview and how the teacher-librarian communicates with the student or teacher in determining what they need or want and clarifying those goals. I have never seen a reference interview done, and I can't say many librarians in the schools that I have worked in would have been willing to do them. I appreciated how Riedling spoke about the structure and methods that allow a teacher-librarian to effectively communicate with the student over a need they have. I personally felt that the way the reference interview is set up by Riedling, required previous learning and teaching because currently students in many schools don't know how to ask for information or that they can ask librarians questions beyond simple book requests. I think this also comes from a lack of cooperative planning between teachers and teacher-librarians. I see this already as a classroom teacher, a lack of cooperative planning and teaching. When use of a library is needed, it seems counterproductive to not include the teacher librarian in the planning process. This also doesn’t mean big inquiry projects or research presentations either, a teacher librarian can help teach the basic information searching skills that every student needs. 

Managing the Reference Collection

Again, like in many of the lessons and modules we’ve read, the role of the teacher librarian comes up. One of the many roles we have to fulfil in the job is managing the collection as a whole, but more specifically in terms of this course, the reference section. I feel like this lesson was frustrating to read because in reading the Greater Victoria role description posted in the module and from various readings in this and other courses, there are so many expectations of teacher librarians, yet the tools to achieve them are nonexistent or limited. We are expected to manage the collection by evaluating it, selecting materials for it, maintaining it, balance a budget, build policies and procedures, amongst many other things. Its frustrating in reality to know that we want to do all of this but are affected by limited time and budgets. While participating in discussions in this and other courses, I’ve come to realize that most of the teacher-librarians that works have only part time allotments. How are we to effectively teach our students information literacy with a tiny sliver of time? When it comes to budget, I feel I know very little. Even in my teaching world, I feel like I have a huge gap in knowledge when it comes to knowing where money is coming from, and why it is allocated where it is. This will be a goal for me when I go back to work in either a classroom or a library. I would like to be able to advocate for the users of my library and that requires a knowledge of how the system works. 

 Evaluating Reference Services

 Looking at building a collection, which includes budgeting, purchasing, evaluating and selecting requires librarians to know their collection. Evaluating a collection is very important, as it gives an idea on how well references and reference services are used. Evaluating can be done a multitude of ways. Luckily, in my LIBE 463 class as well as this one, I had the chance to put into practice, evaluating a collection and creating a report. Many things come under the microscope when evaluating a collection or references specifically. My report for my other class focused on the evaluation from a perspective of physical and quantitative circulation data, what our course module discusses is based off of access, skills, policies/procedures/practices, and informational need. 

Collection Evaluation Report LIBE 463

Evaluation of a Geographical Source 

if you're interested in reading my collection evaluation reports click here ↑

I think what stuck with me the most in this lesson was the question of access. Having read much about intellectual access in Mardis’ book "The Collection Program in Schools", understanding the importance of librarians and their place in being guides to knowledge and not protectors of it. I believe I mentioned this in one of my discussions but a huge takeaway for me was understanding that everyone has a right to all knowledge and that I have to put my biases aside in this job. 

Ultimately reference resources must be managed (by being evaluated, selected, purchased) with consideration from its users, and how it can support the needs of the learning community. Even with the challenges presented in daily real life such as time and budget, there are still many aspects to focus on, on what can be done with what we have and to make certain parts of the library valued. Above all, learners need to learn the skills to access information, guided by a teacher librarian if needed, to achieve the goals that reference services and reference materials can help answer.  

 

References:

Mardis, Marcia A. The Collection Program In Schools. 7th ed., Libraries Unlimited, 2021.

Riedling, Ann Marlow, and Cynthia Houston. Reference Skills For The School Librarian. 4th ed., 2019.

Oxley, Kristie. "Lessons: 5-7". 2022.