tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post773587791489241357..comments2024-03-27T05:00:00.090-04:00Comments on Letters to a Young Librarian: Questioning QuestionsJessica Olinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-71226456979846213072013-06-03T23:58:43.908-04:002013-06-03T23:58:43.908-04:00The public library system I work for does referenc...The public library system I work for does reference statistics quarterly. There used to be categories for ready reference and regular reference. They decided to change it, so now we only count reference questions, and mark them in the category of in-person, over the phone, and other (text, email, etc.). <br /><br />One of the weirder things they count as a reference question is putting items on hold. This CAN be a reference question, in my mind, especially if it's a person that doesn't know the author or title. I don't really think it's a reference question if they want to put Harry Potter by JK Rowling on hold, though. Even more strangely, they ask us to count each hold as a separate question. I guess this makes sense if you were really digging hard to find each one. However, if you are putting seasons 1-5 of Seinfeld on hold for someone, clicking 5 times seems like over-reporting to me.Spangledhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15059364091231891242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-24141377625001965862013-05-30T00:04:33.651-04:002013-05-30T00:04:33.651-04:00All the reference classes I ever took made me so n...All the reference classes I ever took made me so nervous about knowing what was and what wasn't a reference question (despite having years of informal reference experience!). And then, a ray of light...<br /><br />The rule I was given when I first started doing reference was "If you have to look it up (and it's not on the main library website), it's a reference question." I've only had a handful of questions that really tested that standard, so I will stick to it like a burr in the fur of a dog that's also rolled around vigorously in some mud and then let it dry in the hot sun. I suppose it might only work in my particular library system, but it's been magic so far.Estihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03569075544396594022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-49641357056083740132013-05-29T08:53:19.638-04:002013-05-29T08:53:19.638-04:00I've always thought of reference questions as ...I've always thought of reference questions as questions that require a little research. Back in the day, these questions would require a trip to the Encyclopedia's and then further exploration in the stacks for more in-depth information. Directional "where is the bathroom" questions are not reference, IMO. I agree that many times a non-reference question can quickly become a reference question, which usually happens when you ask the right questions in response to the patron's questions (reference interview). Couchnesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17633248971416784667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-66479733129477974992013-05-28T14:58:38.842-04:002013-05-28T14:58:38.842-04:00When I worked the University Reference desk we did...When I worked the University Reference desk we did count direction questions as reference questions. We had a tally form at the desk and any question that got asked was tallied. If I remember correctly the form was broken into Ready Reference (directional questions and the like) and Research Questions. It was also divided by either the half hour or hour slots that the desk was open. In the Reference part it was broken down by how much time you spent doing the research. Ameliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05251183515325373718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-64646017095111535012013-05-28T14:52:24.226-04:002013-05-28T14:52:24.226-04:00It's that desire to have us all use the same d...It's that desire to have us all use the same definitions that's driving me.Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-35231161419247031512013-05-28T14:50:48.237-04:002013-05-28T14:50:48.237-04:00But in the discussion that spurred this post, some...But in the discussion that spurred this post, someone made the point of "but what if you have to research when the next [fill in the blank] class is?"Jessica Olinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-79184758743768582862013-05-28T14:40:00.871-04:002013-05-28T14:40:00.871-04:00This comes up regularly at MPOW. We have our stati...This comes up regularly at MPOW. We have our statistics faceted well (directional, technical, reference, etc), but if we all apply them differently it's not very meaningful. We need more norming. <br />Another issue that comes up is how to define a "consultation". Is it scheduled? Does it last a certain time? One of the agencies we report stats to says a consultation is 20 minutes or more, so we'll probably go with that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02374234986516531798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-77621505587732129892013-05-28T09:10:08.556-04:002013-05-28T09:10:08.556-04:00But like you say, a simple question may be disguis...But like you say, a simple question may be disguising a research question. Probably not "where's the bathroom" or "can I borrow your stapler," but "where is 809.x" probably is.Jessica Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04717874657318262267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-47647685614064782942013-05-28T09:08:45.916-04:002013-05-28T09:08:45.916-04:00Questions that would require research are referenc...Questions that would require research are reference questions (referring to outside sources), eh? That's what I think. Bathroom/direction/when-is-where-is questions aren't reference questions, unless you have to do research to get the answer. Jessica Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04717874657318262267noreply@blogger.com