IPL Question #2: Reference Process

For my second Internet Public Library question, I chose a question from someone in Nigeria who asked, "What is reference process?" I wrote the person back to ask if s/he wanted information on the reference interview, or the information seeking process, but didn't hear back, so I went ahead and gave them information on both, blending sources I had used in previous classes on the topics, and some new sources I found that used easily-readable language to give tutorials on the topics.

Here was my answer:

Hello from the Internet Public Library!

Thank you for your question about the reference process.

I wasn't sure if you wanted information on the reference
interview, or the process a librarian uses to help a user find
information.  I also wasn't sure if you wanted information on the
information seeking process, which is the steps a person takes
when they want to do research.  I'm going to give you information
on both.

The ODLIS is the Online Dictionary for Library and Information
Science.  It is a reliable source for information that is
recommended by the Internet Public Library.  It has an entry for
the reference interview, as well as a some sites that can give
you more information.  The ODLIS entry on reference interviews is
at the following link:

http://lu.com/odlis/odlis_r.cfm

Just scroll down from the top to the entry called "reference
interview" and also please click on any other links that interest
you as well.

The ODLIS also mentions free online tutorials on giving reference
interviews from the Ohio Library Council.  I found these for you
by Googling "ohio library council ORE online tutorial."  This
sites gives links to lots of places that give you online,
interactive tutorials on giving lots of different kind of
reference interviews.

The link to Ohio Library Council's page is as follows:

http://home.earthlink.net/~stephaniegerding/accidentaltechnologytrainer/id2.html

Since that link is so long, I also made a shorter link that will
take you to the same place, in case your browser doesn't accept
the other long link.  They Tiny URL is as follows:

http://tinyurl.com/324vhg

Since I wasn't sure if you needed information on reference
interviews or the information seeking process, I'm also going to
provide some links to explain the steps people take when they
search for information. 

A very reputable scholar in the Information Seeking Process is
Carol Kuhlthau.  She has written many famous articles on this
process.  One is available freely on the internet at the
following URL:

http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Feb-99/kuhlthau.html

A big part of the information seeking process is evaluating
sources, especially those on the internet.  I found a website
that gives information on teaching web evaluation, so that your
user can evaluate his/her sources.  I found this website by
Googling "web evaluation."  That site is as follows:

http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/instruct/evaluate/evalbiblio.html

"Information Research: is "an open access, international,
scholarly journal, dedicated to making accessible the results of
research across a wide range of information-related disciplines"
sponsored by the Lund University Libraries, Sweden.  I found this
journal by Googling "information seeking process."  The website
for the journal is as follows:

http://informationr.net/ir/

There was an article published in "Information Research" on
teaching the information seeking process.  The link is as
follows:

http://informationr.net/ir/12-1/paper280.html

If you still have more questions about the reference process, the
reference interview, or the information seeking process, please
write back.

Thanks for visiting the IPL!