Understanding Reference Transactions

Want to read this on your NOOK? Request as NOOK Book from the publisher

Thank you for requesting this book as a NOOK book from the publisher.

More About This Book

Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Meet the Author
Table of Contents

Advertising

Overview

Each year, millions of questions are asked in public libraries and information centers around the world. However, despite the digital revolution, little has been done to improve the answering capabilities of these institutions. Therefore, improving accuracy rates and maintaining and increasing user satisfaction rates are top priorities.

Understanding Reference Transactions discusses how reference research developed in the twentieth century and presents the current status of reference research. The book reports on a meta-analysis of research findings and a new model of question negotiation, and looks at research findings related to influences upon accuracy, satisfaction, and utility. Many practitioners feel that they learn little about the process of question-answering during their studies, and most of what they know is an art they pick up as they work day to day. By creating models of the reference transaction supported by empirical evidence, the authors hope to advance the understanding of question-answering to a science.

Key Features:
* Powerful research models help explain what is happening in the reference transaction.
* Encompasses a comprehensive review of the research literature.
* Offers a unique systems analysis of the reference transaction.
* Includes a detailed appendix of the concepts, operational definitions, and research variables used to measure outcomes as well as statistical results from all known prior studies.

A Volume in the Library and Information Science Series

Audience: Reflective research-oriented practitioners - those most likely to change their behavior in the reference environment (over 8,000 Reference and Adult Services Association members in US & Canada); reference transaction researchers and instructors, who influence the direction of research as well as the adoption of texts in classrooms; library and information science students.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gina M. Augustine, MLS(St. Francis Hospital of New Castle)
Description: This book, part of the Library and Information Science Series, provides concrete tools for the information professional on how to provide good reference service measured by the degree of user satisfaction. These tools include interpreting information seeking behavior, formulating a suitable reference query, directing the patron to appropriate resources, and assessing feedback from the reference transaction.
Purpose: The authors indicate most information professionals learn on the job, through peer observation, how to determine actual patron needs. The purpose of this book is to provide theoretical models of the question-answer process (intermediation) for the social dynamic of the reference transaction. Providing good, accurate reference service is an essential goal of any library. The models provided in this book are excellent tools for achieving user satisfaction through appropriate information delivery.
Audience: The intended audience is researchers, educators, librarians, and students interested in the interpersonal interaction involved in the posing of reference questions, the response of the information professional, and the feedback from the requestor. Although the context of the book is the public library, this dialogue is also very much a part of the health sciences library.
Features: A definition and history of reference service, current concepts in reference theory, and methods for predicting outcomes and measuring accuracy of information provided are covered. Extensive analysis of the research process including population and sample descriptors, dependent and independent variables, user characteristics, staff ability/educational background and research methodologies are presented. The appendix contains multiple survey instruments and data variables for the prediction of service outcomes.
Assessment: This is an excellent reference resource. The instruments featured in the appendix are particularly useful in measuring patron satisfaction. Variables data, also part of the appendix, is a great tool for predicting individual library reference request outcomes and can be used to improve or maintain the delivery of quality service.

More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews

3 Stars from Doody

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780125877800
Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Publication date: 5/1/2002
Pages: 232
Series: Library and Information Science
Product dimensions: 0.69 (w) x 6.00 (h) x 9.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Matthew Saxton is an assistant professor at the Information School of the University of Washington. His career as a reference librarian includes working in academic, public, and special libraries. His research into reference service evaluation includes meta-analysis of previous studies and exploring the multi-level nature of data on reference service. He is a regular speaker at the RUSA National Institute. He received his doctoral degree in library and information science from UCLA.

John V. Richardson Jr. is professor of library and information science in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research specializes in two areas: general reference work, but especially knowledge-based applications and virtual libraries, and the history of education for librarianship. Recently, he has been working on two major studies: a biographical study of N. K. Krupskaya, L. B. Khavkina, and G. Derman during the formative era of Soviet education for librarianship (i.e., 1910-1928). The second study derives from the first; there is a scholarly need for a current bi-lingual dictionary of Russian-English LIS terminology. The author of eleven books, more than two-dozen nationally refereed articles and more than one hundred book reviews, he has won numerous awards from the Association for Library and Information Science Education and the American Library Association.

	List of Tables and Figures
	Preface and Acknowledgements
	Introduction
1	The Multilevel Nature of Reference Service	1
2	Defining and Modeling Reference Service	18
3	Evaluating and Measuring Reference Service	33
4	Multilevel Modeling and Reference Service Evaluation	54
5	Data Analysis and Findings	74
6	Conclusions and Implications	95
7	Systems Analysis of the Reference Process	102
App. A	Instruments	117
App. B	Descriptive Statistics	127
App. C	Correlation Matrices	128
App. D	Dependent and Independent Variables Used in the Study of Reference Service	130
	Bibliography	191
	Index	195

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review

( 0 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble

Understanding Reference Transactions

Overview

More About This Book

Overview

Related Subjects

Editorial Reviews

Product Details

Meet the Author

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

5 Star

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Your Rating:

Your Recommendations:

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

What to exclude from your review:

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

Reminder:

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!