Conducting the Reference Interview A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians

The reference interview is key to the practice of librarianship. Now, Ross, Nilsen, and Dewdney outline the most effective methods librarians can use to find out exactly what a user needs to know. For fifteen years, the authors have collected and assessed true accounts from public and academic libraries on what works and what does not in reference interviews. Drawing from these specific examples, this manual clearly illustrates the most effective approaches and troubleshooting techniques for reference interviews with users - from children to researchers. Packed with solid advice, exercises, strategies, and models of human communication (sense making and microtraining), exercises for avoiding common pitfalls, the authors also offer dozens of examples of both successful and problematic reference interviews with constructive critiques and suggestions.Ross, Catherine is the author of 'Conducting the Reference Interview A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians', published 2002 under ISBN 9781555704322 and ISBN 1555704328.