digital reference in germany an overview and experiences on the need for qualifications hermann...

Hermann Rösch: Digital Reference in Germany Slide 1 of 17

Digital Reference in Germany

An Overview and Experiences on the Need for Qualifications

Hermann RöschInstitut for Information Science

University of Applied Sciences Cologne

IFLA – Reference Work Section Berlin - Aug. 6th 2003


Structure/Outline

1. Reference in German Libraries

2. Digital Reference in Germany

3. Communicative Competencies of Digital Reference Librarians

4. Proposal on Next Steps


Reference in German libraries (1)

Reference Service appeared as topic in the late 1960s

In practice little changed till the end of the 1990s

Apart from few exceptions German libraries remained collection centered


Reference in German libraries (2)

Dale Askey put down the superiority of American libraries to the following two facts:

„...American libraries are service-oriented, while German libraries are collection-centered.”

„The first of these is the lack, in Germany, of reference librarians of the type commonly found in the United States.“


Digital Reference in Germany (1)

Forms of Digital Reference:

E-Mail-ReferenceWeb FormsChat/Live-ReferenceVoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)Video Conferencing

Web Contact Center



Development in short:a. German libraries began using e-mail in the mid 90s,

finding that it was useful not only for improving communication among librarians, but also to facilitate contact between librarians and patrons.

b. Public libraries in cities and university libraries gradually created Web sites and provided e-mail as contact addresses. But the potential for an e-mail service wasn’t exploited.

c. E-Mail-Reference:Some public libraries, mainly in big cities, and some university libraries now offer organized and well-planned digital reference services via e-mail. That is, the library publicizes an e-mail address that is dedicated to reference purposes only.



d. Web forms:Some libraries added service via Web form, in which users are invited to phrase their questions in a more structured way and to give additional information.



e. Chat Services:Chat service is still in its early development. Six university libraries have launched chat services within the last 2 years:

Dortmund

TU Hamburg-Harburg

Bundeswehr Hamburg

BIS Oldenburg

Trier

Wuppertal



Two projects related to the development of digital reference in Germany have to be mentioned:

• the discussion list RABE

• German Internet Library (Deutsche Internetbibliothek)



RABE

Acronym for “Search and Reference in Libraries”

• Discussion list for reference librarians only

• Established in 1998 • Modeled after the

American Stumpers-List

Plays an important role in improving the quality of reference services in German Libraries



German Internet Library

• Initiated by the Bertelsmann Foundation in cooperation with the German Library Association

• Began operations in early 2002 and is aimed exclusively at Public Libraries

Member libraries work cooperatively in two ways: • They create and maintain a Web catalogue that is

tailored to the specific information needs of public library users

• They form an e-mail reference consortium with more than 70 public libraries involved


New competencies required

Digital Reference Librarians Competencies

• Knowledge of electronic resources• Skilled in searching the complex landscape of

information resources• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively• Proficient in use of language(s)• Comfortable using a variety of computer

applications• Competent manager


Communicative Competencies (1)

1. E-mail and web forms aggravate the reference interview; only certain questions factual ones in particular can actually be answered by this complex method.

2. To conduct a reference interview by chat the typical jargon and chat behaviour must be mastered.

3. People using chat are impatient; to avoid the phenomenon of disappearing questioners reference librarians have to keep their chat patrons active and interested.

4. Reference librarians must be able to prepare themselves for new user groups with little or no library experience at all.


Communicative Competencies (2)

5. Reference librarians must be flexible and able to decide when the communication channel chosen by the user is overtaxed and a change is to be recommended

6. Reference librarians have to know which communication channels are particularly suitable for which question types

7. Reference librarians must recognize whether the first question asked by a patron is a so-called probe query. Users often ask an initial simple, vague query at first, and upon receiving a response then proceed to ask much more detailed questions


Proposal on Next Steps

• Establishment of a discussion list modelled after DigRef or LiveReference

• Organization of conferences in which those who are already providing reference in any of the digital forms could exchange experiences

• Statistical evaluation of all reference sessions • Enumeration of benefits and shortcomings of

the various digital reference modes and technologies

• Analysis of the competencies required


Thank you very muchfor your Time and Patience!

Contact:

[email protected]

digital reference in germany an overview and experiences on the need for qualifications hermann...

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