Conducting the Reference Interview

One of the most difficult library activities to carry out really effectively is the seemingly simple task of conducting the reference interview. This practical guide has advice, exercises and strategies for mastering the art of efficiently discovering exactly what users what to know. For 15 years Ross, Nilsen and Dewdney have been collecting and assessing true accounts from public and academic libraries on what works and what doesn't in reference. Drawing from these specific examples, they illustrate the most effective approaches and troubleshooting techniques. The book features models of human communication such as sense-making and microtraining, exercises for avoiding common pitfalls and dozens of examples of both successful and problematic reference interviews printed next to constructive critiques and suggestions from the authors. The authors demonstrate that complex communication behaviours can be broken down into constituent parts that can be taught one at a time and that successful reference interviewing skills can be aquired and mastered.
They show how these techniques can be applied in traditional and electronic contexts and for a variety of users, from children to researchers. Contents include: why bother with a reference interview?; setting the stage for the reference interview - the first 30 seconds; finding out what they really want to know; beyond negative closure; policy and training for the reference interview.