Reference Service Evaluation

The goal of this assignment is to get you thinking about the elements that make for a good reference transaction: what sorts of questions prompt what sorts of answers, is a subject expert or a generalist the best person to answer certain types of questions, what sorts of questions and/or answers are best suited to which media, what elements of the librarian-user interaction make for a satisfying reference experience and for what types of questions and in what media, etc.

This assignment has two parts: desk reference & digital reference. You will conduct two different information-seeking interactions as a user, early on in the semester (that is, while you are still more or less tabula rasa, before you have much experience with being on the other side of the interaction). Your questions can be anything and come from any source: they can be the same or different questions for both interactions, they can be a questions for another course, something a family member or a friend asked you, something you're just curious about, or you can just make questions up for this assignment. Though I believe that if you ask a question based in a real information need, you will have a more realistic user experience and will be better able to evaluate the service and address your satisfaction with the information provided.

After you have conducted your two information-seeking interactions, write a brief report critically analyzing your experiences. This report should be around 3-5 pages. Read the RUSA's Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers and the VRD's Facets of Quality for Digital Reference Services. Analyze your interactions according to the criteria provided by RUSA and VRD. You do not need to address every single criterion, as not every criterion may be appropriate for every interaction. But do consider which criteria are appropriate for your interaction, and address those. Compare and contrast between your two interactions. Also be prepared to discuss your interactions in class. If you do not plan to write your report immediately following your interactions, you may want to take notes and record your impressions of the interaction, during or immediately after. Submit your report in Blackboard.

Part 1: Asking for information from a desk reference service

Ask for information from a desk reference service. If you are working in a library, use a reference service in a different library than the one you work for. Also use a reference service in a different library than the one where you will do / are doing your Job Shadowing assignment. Many of your classmates have jobs in the various libraries on campus and in the Chapel Hill area; if possible avoid asking your question to one of your classmates.

• Go in person to a reference desk at a library of your choice: in one of the UNC libraries, a public library in Chapel Hill or wherever you live, etc.

Part 2: Asking for information from a digital reference service

Submit a question to a digital reference service. You can use a service in any media: email, web, chat, IM, whatever. The service can be the digital arm of a desk reference service, for example what is offered by the UNC libraries, or the service can be a "standalone" digital reference service such as the Internet Public Library. Do not use the VRD for this assignment. If you are working in a library, use a reference service in a different library than the one you work for. Also use a reference service in a different library than the one where you will do / are doing your Job Shadowing assignment.

• The Virtual Reference Desk Project maintains a list of asynchronous reference services. Use one of these or find your own.

• Here is one list of libraries providing synchronous reference services, and another list. Here's a list specifically of libraries offering IM-based reference. Use one of these or find your own.

• Here is a list of all of the reference services on campus.

Note: Some asynchronous digital reference services do not respond to 100% of the questions they receive. If you don't get a timely response, write about that in your report & don't worry about it. You tried. Submit a question to another service if you're feeling ambitious.