Response Paper #1

 6. Reference and User Services/6A: Employ techniques used to discover, retrieve, evaluate, and synthesize information from diverse sources for use by varying user populations and information environments. 

9. Technological Knowledge and Skills/9A: Identify appropriate technologies and uses that support access to and delivery of library services and resources.

When it comes to Public Reference Librarians\Librarianship I know more than most people in the class because I have worked as one of a Substitute at the La Grange Public Library. I took IS 501 last semester which is Reference and Information Services through the school. This class is coming in really handy for this response paper because I now have these resources to reference and bring input from in addition to my opinions and first-hand experience in being a Public Reference Librarian. 

I feel that overall this document doesn’t really connect Technology and Reference and User Services together when they are definitely more connected and needed to be seen as such. In the past, while subbing I have helped a Doctoral student from a local University to better understand how to use the databases that he was paying for through his tuition to help with his dissertation. Over the Finals week of last semester, I helped an Undergraduate student that called into the Library to submit his final assignment and found out that Google Slides doesn’t allow for easy ways to record audio over the presentation without a separate application. Both of these interactions might have ended very differently but they still both included the use of technology on their and my part. 

If these interactions had been with let’s say a business person coming in asking for resources to update their technology skills I would have pointed out this resource on the La Grange Public Library website, especially if they are library card holders; Research Page. This page helps lead them to the many different resources that the library pays for with the property tax money that they get every year. One of the examples is “LinkedIn Learning -  (formerly Lynda.com) Video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills. (tutorial)” (La Grange Public Library). These resources help not only help those already in a certain industry but those also going through a career pivot. If these resources weren’t listed on the website and not included in the Reference Interview then this patron would be at a loss for this valuable information.

The Reference Interview according to the RUSA Guidelines, this process can happen in any environment including remote chat. So why don’t the Core Competencies relate them together more? I think it is this siloed thinking that helps to keep the industry and subcategories within the industry very separated and not willing to work together. We need to be more willing to collaborate and learn from each other to keep our jobs and the buildings open, especially when it comes to those who don’t want these spaces or buildings to exist. Two examples of this from the Guidelines; “4.2 In-Person; 4.2.1    Accompanies the patron in the search (at least in the initial stages of the search process) unless the patron prefers to conduct the search him/herself.; 4.3 Remote; 4.3.1    Uses appropriate technology to help guide the patron through information resources, when possible.”(ALA).  These guidelines have the same layout where in-person comes before remote. Remote was added because of the increase in its use during the pandemic and more libraries implementing virtual chats for those at higher risk. 

The Almanac could be used online or in print to help keep track of the moon cycle and look up healthy food recipes. When the Almanac was first published it was in print and the Public Libraries would subscribe to it. They would be able to be picked up at the main Circulation or Reference desk in the Libraries. Now that it can be accessed through the computers that can be used by anyone at the Library the size of the text can be increased to help with accessibility issues for those who are visually impaired. A perfect example of this would be this  Rhubarb and Cherry Crisp recipe (Yankee Publishing, Inc). The Public Reference Librarian would\should be able to help this patron figure out how to make the text larger for them to be able to read and then print it off with the printers provided if wanted. 

Overall this response paper helped to show that I feel that the Core Competencies are still separating the Reference and User Services and Technological Knowledge and Skills. These two skills are very important and should be seen as collaborative and helpful to each other. The Public Reference Librarian in me sees these two skills as working together more than separated. I hope in the future I will be able to provide my input and help make changes. 

Bibliography:

1. ALA. (2020, February 4). Guidelines for the behavioral performance of Reference and Information Service Providers. Reference & User Services Association (RUSA). Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesbehavioral 

2. ALA's Committee on Education. (2021). ALA’s Core Competences of Librarianship, Draft 2021. [Core Competencies Policy]. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/sites/ala.org.educationcareers/files/content/education/Draft%20-%20ALA%20Core%20Competences%202021%20Update.pdf

3. La Grange Public Library. (n.d.). Research. La Grange Public Library. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.lagrangelibrary.org/research 

4. Yankee Publishing, Inc. (n.d.). Almanac.com homepage. Almanac.com. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.almanac.com/