Reference scenarios
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A reference scenario is an imagined situation where a library patron brings a question to a librarian and there is then a conversation, called in the field a reference interview, where the librarian works to help the patron find what he or she wants. These scenarios are used in training future librarians how to help patrons. Basically, a scenario is as short as couple of sentences, including a question and a situation that underlies that question.
A great deal of reference teaching puts students to researching the answers to made-up questions. This focuses the student on learning about the reference sources at hand by using them to answer those questions. Scenarios are something different. They focus the student on the interaction with patrons. In class practice sessions, one student can be the patron and the other the librarian, as long as the one practicing as the librarian doesn't know the whole scenario in advance.
Scenarios are valued because often the question asked is not the end of the patron's information hunt, but the start. Patrons often start by voicing a question that they think the library can answer, rather than the question they are really seeking to answer. Or they pose a question that the librarian doesn't understand. Reference librarian skills are very much about mediating a gap between what the patron wants and what the library can provide. This can involve the librarian making him or herself a partner in the patron's search, teaching them what the library really has to offer, or even just clarifying a confusing word: Does the patron want information about soaps to clean with or soaps as in soap operas?
[edit] Sample reference scenarios
1. “Where are your different types of dictionaries?” A user inquires about dictionaries, particularly their thickness. He is looking at the prices and cover thickness of different dictionaries so that he can buy one and get it engraved for his niece.
2. “Do you have any series of mystery books?” 5th grade student is looking for the Chronicles of Narnia to read for enjoyment.
3. “I want to know about trees.” Patron is moving in two years and wants to know about fast growing trees specifically 15 feet within 2 years, for shade purposes.
4. ”What chemicals or pesticides can be used for squirrels?” Patron wants to know what child friendly pesticides will keep animals out of the garden.
5. “I’m looking for books on travel for my son. We’re taking a trip.” Parents are taking a short trip and leaving 3 year old son with grandmother. Looking for picture books on separate anxiety, and visiting at Grandma’s house.
6. “I need to find information on Ronaldiño.” The user wants to know how to play soccer.
7. “I need a book on the internet.” The user wants to apply for a job online and he needs to know how to submit his resume to companies using the internet.
8. “Why are some dogs’ eyes blue?” The user wants to know the difference between the Husky and the Malamute.
9. “Do you have notes for Macbeth?” The user wants sheet music from an opera production of Macbeth. He doesn’t want the sound recording of it, or notes about it, he wants “notes” to describe musical notes.
10. “I’ve had a terrible time locating a particular book. Can you help me?” Patron wants the book Sic et Non by Peter Abelard and cannot find a copy in English, only Latin.
11. “I need information on centerpieces.” Patron needs to create table centerpieces for an event at a retirement home, doesn’t have very much money to spend on materials, but doesn’t want to use candles.
12. “Do you have a science section?” Patron is looking up information on what foods are safe to feed their pet hamster.
13. “Do you have mysteries?” Patron has to do a biographical report on Agatha Christie for school.
14. “Hey, you got something on the French?” The patron is an avid chess player and is looking for a book on chess openings, especially the French Opening. He/she has been getting beat by the French Opening and wants to learn how to beat it.
15. “You have pictures of dogs?” The patron is trying to find the mix of breeds of their small dog, which is a mutt.
16. “Do you have a travel section?” The user is considering a permanent move to Europe and is specifically interested in the Baltic States—in particular Vilnius, Lithuania and the cultural etiquette there.
17. “Where can I find information on drugs?” The user is looking for specific side effects of a prescription medication.
18. “Do you have information on authors?” User’s son is having behavioral problems and he/she has noticed the son has been reading a lot of a particular author (let’s say Neal Stephenson) and he/he wants to know if there could be a correlation between the two.
19. “Do you have information on Indiana’s waterparks?” User is a grandmother who is going to have her grandchildren visiting over the summer and is looking for places to take them.
20. “Can you direct me to information on living wills?” User has a terminally ill parents and needs legal forms.
21. “Do you have federal tax forms for 2003 and 2004?” User needs to file back taxes and needs the forms.
22. “I’m looking for books on fairy tales.” Patron wants some French fairy tales written by women for some quotes for a paper she is writing on the French feminist theorist Simone de Beauvoir.
23. “Can you help me get someone to care for my mother?" Patron’s mother needs someone to come in and fix meals for her, doesn’t know how to find someone, and is in a bit of a crisis as her mother insists upon driving and isn’t safe.
24. "I want to find this book about Cuba?" 13 year old patron heard there was a book being fought over in Miami libraries, that is about kids and Cuba, wants to write a book report about it
25. "Do you know about the DuSable?" Patron wants to know about anything else like the DuSable Museum, any sort of African American cultural institutions in Chicago that have collections of art, artifacts, books, music, etc. for a group tour she is planning.
26. "Can you help me get my books to prisoners?" Patron has books to dispose of from her husband’s death and wants to make them available to prisoners.
27. "Can you help me find this article?" Elderly patron is anxious because he has symptoms no one can can’t wants an article about a disease called NPH that came out in American family physician. And she isn’t exactly sure what NPH stands for.
28. "Can you show me the card catalog?" Patron isn’t familiar with libraries or OPACs, is a recent immigrant, speaks good English, but wants to check out tourist/travel books about Chicago to prepare for an interview as a concierge in the hotel industry, and needs a just-in-time tutorial so she can check out some books.
29. "I have a hard question for you." Patron is embarrassed but determined, wants to read about what do to about her boss making suggestive comments and putting his hands on her and her feeling afraid when alone with him in his office. She can’t quit but if she hangs in can apply for reassignment within the bank in one year.
30. "I need the Messiah." Patron wants to borrow the score to Handel’s Messiah to take to a sing-in, it costs too much to buy (she checked Amazon). Has never heard of ILL but only belongs to DU library, has no other library card. When she learns about it she needs to be shown how to request it via ILL.
31. "What were the contested elections last month?" Patron wants to know how the elections at the national level (congress/senate) that were very close turned out
32. "Is Myspace dangerous?" Mother wants to know what to do about her daughter being a MySpace aficionado.
(Scenarios 1-32 were developed in Fall 2006 by an instructor and her students at Dominican University, Chicago, USA and are provided here for others to use.)
33. "I am looking for some research." This question happens very often at the academic reference center. When the person working reference hears this question, automatically they should realize that this patron has not done anything thus far concerning the topic of interest. Not only that, but more often than not the patron does not want to do the research himself, rather he would have the librarian do all the work. This is fine and all, however, it should be kept in the back of one's mind that this patron will be difficult to deal with.
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading
- Ross, Catherine, Kirsti Nilsen, and Patricia Dewdney. Conducting the Reference Interview: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. New York: Neal Schumann, 2002.
