Information Services & Mediation

readings

Janes, Joseph, Chapter 1 of Introduction to Reference Work in the Digital Age (2003)

Reference & User Services Association, “Professional competencies for reference and user services librarians: RUSA Task Force on Professional Competencies”, Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 290-295, 2003.

Reference & User Services Association, “Guidelines for Information Services”, Reference & User Services Quarterly, 40(2), 115-117, 2000.

Huerster, Bob, “Evolving Information Service in a Web World: A Growth Experience at Consumers Union”, RedOrbit 10/24/2006

Hyman, Karen and Molly R. Pederson, “Customer Service and the ‘Rule of 1965’”, American Libraries 30, no. 9, 54-58, October 1999.

Blattberg, Robert C., Gary Getz, and Jacquelyn S. Thomas, “Chapter 2: Cornerstones of Customer Equity”, in Customer Equity: Building and Managing Relationships as Valuable Assets, 13-32, Harvard Business School Press, 2001.

powerpoint/audio presentation to view

“Intermediation Services” (from Matt Saxton)

questions for discussion on Catalyst discussion board (NB feel free to start other discussion topics as well!)

How would you characterize the significant trends in the development of information and mediation services over the last century and a quarter? What new forces or ideas are emerging that you think have particular potential (or even peril)?

To what extent do you feel that communication technology may have an impact on the type of the services that can be delivered and users' expectations of service? Explain. How would a response to a letter be different from an email message or a synchronous chat session?

Looking at the last 25 years or so, what missed opportunities could you identify in the information services area? What might have been done differently or better to provide a higher-quality service to users of information services of any or all kinds?

What would you consider to be an “ideal” information service?

additional (older, historical) readings

Ferguson, Chris D., and Charles A. Bunge, “The Shape of Services to Come: Values-based Reference Service for the Largely Digital Library”, College and Research Libraries 58: 252-265, 1997.

Ryan, Sara, “Reference Service for the Internet Community”, Library and Information Science Research 18: 241-259, 1996.

Coffman, Steve and Susan McGlamery, “The Librarian and Mr. Jeeves”, American Libraries 31: 66, 2000.

Hirko, Buff, “Live, Digital Reference Marketplace” Library Journal netConnect 10/15/2002.

Diane K. Kovacs, Barbara F. Schloman, and Julia A. McDaniel, “A Model for Planning and Providing Reference Services Using Internet Resources,” Library Trends 42 (1994): 638-647.