[Publib] RE: Best Library MA Program? Now: Premature death knells for Reference

[Bruce Brigell]

I have to disagree with the direction this thread is going.

I have been a reference librarian in public libraries for many years and
I STILL find the job intellectually challenging and stimulating. I work
in a suburban library where we still get lots of reference traffic. Sure
things have changed, but Google has not usurped us yet.

To keep the professional staff from burning out on routine computer
problems of users here we have hired computer assistants so we are not
constantly dealing with signups, printer problems and the like. 

Of course I worry about the future of Reference, but I think it is alive
and well in many busy public libraries--I know for a fact that the
reference staff at many metropolitan, suburban and yes, even rural
libraries are not looking for something to do!

Yes, I think Google is great, but I am not ready to close the book [pun
intended] on the function and mission of the reference librarian. 

Go to U of Washington and listen to Joe Janes speak about the future of
reference--not only will you be energized, but you may come away with a
vision of the future of reference librarianship that is not as bleak as
the comments so far in this thread.

End of rant

Bruce Brigell
Coordinator of Information Services
Skokie Public Library
5215 Oakton St.
Skokie, IL 60077
847/324-3142
847/673-7797 [fax]
bbrigell at skokielibrary.info   

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Julie Bauer
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:17 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] RE: Best Library MA Program?


If you really like that sort of thing, Jesse, you
should consider a career path outside of public
libraries.  For example, large news organizations
employ librarians who have to provide background
information for breaking news stories -- although much
of their time is spent on more mundane tasks.  (But
all jobs are like that really.)



--- Jesse Ephraim <JEphraim at ci.southlake.tx.us> wrote:

> >However, my dream has always been to one day be a
> reference
> >librarian--like the people at the NYPL who get
> calls from all over
> >the world and need to answer the question within 5
> minutes. I do not
> >envision being able to fill that role for the next
> 10 years, however
> >I would like to be prepared for it.
> 
> Reference work is fun, but in most libraries the
> situation is not the
> same as the one you describe at NYPL.  I get 5 or
> fewer actual reference
> research questions a day, sometimes even less than
> that.  I spend most
> of the time helping patrons with computers or
> working on special
> projects.  From what I have seen at other libraries,
> this isn't an
> unusual situation, especially since many patrons
> turn to Google before
> talking to a librarian.
> 
> I'm not trying to discourage you from becoming one
> (far from it), but
> just wanted to make sure that you realize that
> patrons don't ask as many
> reference questions today as they did a decade or
> more ago.
> 
> Jesse Ephraim
> 
> Adult Services Librarian
> Southlake Public Library
> 1400 Main Street, Suite 130
> Southlake, TX  76092
> (817) 748-8247
> jephraim at ci.southlake.tx.us
> 
> "A circulating library in a town is as an evergreen
> tree of diabolical
> knowledge."
>      - Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org 
> http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
> 


Julie Bauer
Collection Development Librarian
Loudoun County Public Library
Leesburg, Virginia

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