Competency I
use service concepts, principles and techniques that facilitate information access, relevance and accuracy for individuals or groups of users
The hallmark of success for a successful librarian or information professional is being able to connect users to relevant and accurate information. Libraries and other information centers can often feel like foreign places to users requiring a professional that can guide or train them on their information quest. In order to be successful at helping users find the right sources of information and access tools, librarians and information professionals must be knowledgeable on using the concepts, principles, and techniques that enhance access to information. Throughout the MLIS program I have been exposed to the methods and processes that effectively allow us to achieve this. I have chosen to break up this competency into smaller sections that I feel better convey my strengths and skill set.
Access
A perfect example of facilitating access to information for a wide group of users is a web site. Although I have not created a web site in the MLIS program, I have learned in several classes to utilize techniques such as effective database design and marketing principles to improve a web site's efficacy.
In my current job I created a protected web site that can only be accessed with a randomly generated user name and a password. It is intended to be accessed only by a select group of users, potential investors in the company. Prior to my employment every time there was an inquiry from a potential investor about the company, he or she would be sent an e-mail with a set of documents that were considerably large in size. This was a cumbersome method as each investor, depending on their specific interest, did not require receiving the entire set. Thus, this method was cumbersome and raised concerns about e-mail size rejections and document confidentiality. I proposed and created a protected web site with different pages containing document sets pertaining to each possible inquiry type. Using my method bettered our communications with potential investors, increased the accuracy and confidentiality of our service, improved our expediency and response timing to inquiries, and enhanced our users' accessibility to information. The skills learned in certain classes laid the foundations for my successful tackling of this project. For example, LIBR 257 (Records Management) prepared me to appropriately create, organize, use, maintain, and dispose of our potential and current investor records. LIBR 202 (Information Retrieval) taught me how to plan and design an effective information retrieval system, understand a collection of records, determine its accessibility, articulate the metadata, and design the final database. Through class learnings and the process of conceptualizing and completing this web site I have acquired the knowledge and skill set to give increased user access to accurate and relevant information based on certain criteria.
A popular method of delivering information in a concise, relevant and effective way is by means of a pathfinder, a nifty resource for guiding investigation on a topic through bibliographic resources. For my LIBR 210 (Reference and Information Services) class I created a pathfinder that aimed to gather a variety of print and electronic resources about animal rights and welfare in order to serve as ready reference for users interested in the animal rights movement in the United States. Oftentimes users have a topic of interest but are overwhelmed by the number of resources available, feel that they do not have the necessary research skills, or simply lack the time to do an effective search. In creating this pathfinder I addressed all those concerns. To make it an effective resource I divided it into sections: Articles and Databases, Associations, Books, Electronic Resources, Internet Resources, Government Resources, and Printed Reference. I felt the subdivisions allow users to concentrate only on the resources of their interest or those that they have access to therefore expediting research.
For my LIBR 256 (Archives and Manuscripts) I was asked to create a finding aid for a donated collection. This document included certain administrative information necessary for location, storage, and access purposes. It also featured a summary and historical background, a description of the scope and content of the collection, the names of related collections, and detailed container lists. This document facilitated access to the collection by providing relevant information to the users.
Both exercises helped me appreciate the effort that goes into building references that are unbiased, complete, accurate, and readily accessible. I also realized that though I was not completely familiar with the topic I was able to seek information and put together thorough resources, a situation that I suspect will come up often in my future job as a librarian or information professional. I also learned to follow a planning and organizing process when creating pathfinders or finding aids that takes into account the user needs and how users access information.
Relevance
For information to be of value to a user it needs to be relevant. This requires that librarians and information professionals know their users or groups of users as well as understanding their information needs.
In LIBR 244 (Online Searching) I studied the best techniques for conducting queries and search strategies and learned to identify the most appropriate database to search depending on the type of information needed. One of the systems we used in class was Dialog which sometimes can generate a high recall of results. In class we learned to use the appropriate search techniques in Dialog that help librarians and information professionals focus the search so results are less in number but higher in relevance to the users requests. Here I am presenting a Dialog exercise that shows how I learned to refine my searches. The research techniques and skills obtained in this class are readily translatable to any applications requiring me to help direct users to the best available resources or assist them with obtaining relevant answers for their queries.
The subject of relevance was highly stressed in LIBR 210 (Reference and Information Services). For one of the exercises I served as a reference librarian in the Virtual Reference Desk (VRD) project. In order to successfully answer user queries I first had to learn how to search for reputable resources in order to construct relevant answers.
Something that helped me built the necessary skills to successfully answer reference questions was a couple of assignments for the same class. For a digital reference assignment I analyzed a digital reference interview as experienced by myself as a user. I utilized the ASKNOW service offered by the San Francisco Public Library web site. I immensely enjoyed this experience. Not only was the librarian very helpful and interested in my search but she also showed a genuine respect for my privacy rights as well. She was probing but not inquisitive or insistent in finding out what I wanted the information for. At all times, she kept me abreast of what she was doing and the resources she was checking for me. I liked that the entire process was short, precise, fast, and it only took about 12 minutes of my time. I also enjoyed the fact that only relevant links were provided and they were to free public websites where I could access a wealth of information. Towards the end of the day, the reference librarian sent me a follow up e-mail to check that I was happy with the resources she had provided and to offer further help in case I had any questions. This was completely unexpected but a very nice surprise that most definitely ensured I would be using the service in the future.
In an in-person reference interview analysis I was tasked with selecting a subject and taking it to a librarian at a local library for help. In this capacity as a user I was able to observe the methods used by the reference librarian to satisfy my information needs. In contrast to the previous exercise I did not have a very helpful experience with this one. There was no librarian available and the clerk who took care of me limited herself to conducting a web engine search and letting me weed through the results.
These two reference exercises taught me how libraries may help users to find relevant information and the importance of communicating well with our users. After all, successful and relevant reference service depends not only on exchanging the right information but also on developing a positive personal interaction between the patron and the reference employee (RUSA, 2007). I also learned that in order to offer relevant results it is important that librarians and information professionals conduct effective reference interviews where we ask probing questions that are intended to refine the search.
Accuracy
In addition to being relevant, information should be accurate whenever possible. Even though the authenticity of the information we offer our users cannot be verified or guaranteed at times, librarians and information professionals must be able to understand how to identify, filter, and present information properly so that it is as accurate as possible. In order to do so it is important to evaluate each resource thoroughly.
An assignment for LIBR 256 (Archives and Manuscripts) had me comparing archival web site resources for a specific query, in this case the Cuban Missile Crisis (CMC). During this exercise I evaluated each web site according to criteria that would ensure the accuracy of results: archive reputation, content quality, scholarly background, number of external links, and number and quality of references. I also spent some time navigating through each resource's web site. This allowed me to offer a recommendation on which resources were more accessible, relevant and accurate to the user looking to be informed on the CMC. My final analysis and evaluation included a summary on the quality of content, ease of navigation, collection organization, and availability of finding aids of each resource. Through this assignment I realized that it is important to carefully screen and evaluate resources. I also found the exercise useful in helping me understand how information sources on a same topic can vary and how through careful analysis we can decide which are the most accurate ones.
In conclusion, in order to ensure quality service librarians and information professionals must employ methods and processes that emphasize the access, relevance, and accuracy aspects of information. Several classes in the MLIS program, along with active participation in some cases, and personal work experiences have taught me the theory and practice behind the service concepts, principles, and techniques that facilitate the users' access to information. As well I feel adequately prepared to assist users, whether an individual or a group, with their specific queries. In order to do so, I must keep in mind that information should be tailored to the user and let this principle guide my reference interviews. This way I can ensure that I provide access to and deliver information that is relevant and accurate.
References
RUSA Reference Guidelines. (2007). Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from the American Library Association Web Site:
http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/protools/referenceguide/guidelinesbehavioral.cfm
Evidentiary
LIBR 202 - Information Retrieval - Information Retrieval System Design
LIBR 210 - Reference & Information Services - Animal Welfare & Animal Rights Pathfinder
LIBR 256 - Archives and Manuscripts - Finding Aid
LIBR 244 - Online Searching - Dialog
LIBR 210 - Reference & Information Services - Digital Reference
LIBR 210 - Reference & Information Services - Reference Interview Analysis
LIBR 256 - Archives and Manuscripts - Website Evaluation