The Foundation of Reference Services

                               The Foundation of Reference Services

The main source of information in this blog is from;Riedling, Ann Marlow et al. Reference Skills For The School Librarian. 3rd ed., Santa Barbara, California, Linworth, 2013,.

Personally for me the terminology involved in the process of student information literacy skills was new to me and I hadn't thought of  in a holistic sense. I realized that teacher librarians as a professionals need to have common nomenclature to relate to each other and to  also share with students  while assisting them through the reference process . The reference process involves the reference interview with the Teacher librarian and the reference service of connecting them to meaningful resources. Resources go beyond the library so bibliographic instruction refers to being a mediator in assisting students locating outside sources in the community; use of digital apps; Skype interviews and research databases etc.

Thanks to our instructor Richard Beaudry for passing on poster

When I thought about the information seeking and process leading to the ultimate goal of helping to creating students who are prepared for life long learning and have the skills to locate and synthesize information to problem solve/answer questions. The ALA(2006) describes" information literate individual as as those who have learned how to learn." They know how to find and use information and  are able to share with others.

I viewed these Teacher librarian terms in a evolving circular pattern with information literacy as the bullseye in this order.

1. Reference interview-making a conversational connection with TL to ask a question/problem
2. Reference service-Tl is mediator to educate students on access ;comprehend;use;evaluation of reference sources
3. Reference process-combines above;the need for information/question; the search; answer/response and evaluation
4. Bibliography instruction-brings the reference process outside of just the library to all outside sources on information and how to use it including digital tools; real life connections etc;(important skill in the 21st century)
5. Information lnquiry (points of inquiry and Research quest are good examples of a model to use) open ended higher thinking process; helpful in ultimately forming ;
6. Information literate-life long learning  goal for all!

The information problem solving models help to streamline the process in getting the answers/solving the problem/synthesizing information. These models provide a framework and consistent terminology for educators and student to both refer to especially during the reference interview  when common concise communication is important.

The information problem solving models that support the creation of information literate students are;

1. Information Seeking (pg 12 reference skills for librarians source)
2. Research Quest-inquiry based
3. Big6 model for Problem solving )Super 3 for younger students(pg 13)  
4. Research process-connects subject knowledge with information gathering
5. Points of Inquiry

The points of Inquiry and research  quest which are both part of the BC Teachers  Education resources online are the best for inquiry based higher order thinking which is key for the 21st century learner .

Information seeking is useful for educators because it includes the affective and sensorimotor  aspect for each step in the model which is helpful when assisting students.

The Points of Inquiry Model

Evaluation of Resources;

Riedlings  evaluation of resources gave a holistic view of the important areas that need to be addressed in order to strive for an exemplary rating. The main headings are;

1. Accessibility and Organization
2. Facilities
3. Collection
4. Reference materials including technology
5. Cost/budget

When rating a library these areas  are of key importance. I also found the online resource from the Canadian Library Association a useful tool for collection evaluation . The collection list of what needs to be in all libraries includes; an internet connection for students; newspapers; sound recordings; online catalog and one data base. For more information click here Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association & The Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada.

Teacher librarians are crucial in connecting reference sources which has dramatically increased in the digital age through their knowledge of reference services . Teacher librarians are the mediators in helping to create students evolving to be information literate which is the ultimate goal to know how to select and use and share information for life long learning and problem solving.

Additional References;

Anon, (2018). [online] Available at: http://file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/Big6Handouts.pdf [Accessed 19 Jan. 2018].

Bctf.ca. (2018). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. [online] Available at: https://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/libraryprogram/RQ%20English.pdf [Accessed 19 Jan. 2018].

Bctf.ca. (2018). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. [online] Available at: http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/points%20of%20inquiry/pointsofinquiry.pdf [Accessed 19 Jan. 2018].