Assignment 3
Reference Service Evaluation
Throughout
this course I’ve come to realize that our reference collection is in a state of
disarray and needs some refocusing and rethinking, and this assignment provides
the perfect opportunity to do just that. Currently our general library collection
contains many of the examples Riedling lists in our course texts, including
encyclopedias, factbooks, handbooks, atlases, biographies and dictionaries, as
well as many digital subscription-based reference databases and both physical
and digital periodical subscriptions as well. The problem with our collection
is not quantity but rather organization and utilization. The following
evaluation outlines how I will improve our library’s reference service through
a sizeable weeding, accumulation of specific new reference resources, integration
of the reference collection and increased use of digital databases. Through
these changes I hope that students will be more inclined to make use of
physical resources, will be less inhibited or disinterested by outdated
materials, and will more effectively conduct research both physically and
digitally, all of which will improve learning outcomes.
Our
current reference section contains approximately 9 collections of encyclopedias
and factbooks, stored sparsely on a shelf immediately when you walk in the
door. I knew just from looking through titles that there was nothing newer than
2009, with some as old as 1987, and that nothing had been checked out in the
four years I’ve been there. Nonetheless, I decided to run a collection report,
and while this information only dates back a year due to new circulation
software, it confirmed zero circulations. What did surprise me was that we have
185 items listed in our reference collection and probably less than 100 on the
reference shelf. This combined
with the age of the collection, tells me I need to do a major weed both
physically and digitally of items that are clearly no longer on our shelves.
Riedling and many other weeding models suggests items such as encyclopedias be
discarded after 5 years, with 10 years being a generous timeframe by few, which
means everything in our reference section must go.
So
then what comes next? I already know my budget will not allow for the purchase
of new World Book sets nor do they fit with my library philosophies at this
point as I find them cumbersome and limiting. But after finding some great new
topic specific reference resources for our first assignment, such as the
Kingfisher Space Encyclopedia, I know there is still a place for physical reference
resources on our shelves. Therefore I would like to allocate a portion of my
budget next year for topic and curriculum specific encyclopedias, with a focus
on space, biographies, and the human body to fill gaps in our collection. I
also need to update some high interest level materials such as our Guinness
Book of World Records collection and the Minecraft handbooks. I think this deliberate
boost in purchasing will improve my reference services by providing new and up
to date materials that will motivate students to continue using print material
and see the value of physical information.
The
next step is then where to house this new material. I’ve contemplated all year
about integrating our reference section into the main collection as it is not a
good use of physical space and with the whole section weeded, I think it
provides an opportune time to incorporate new resources where they will be most
searched for and circulated. The blog renovatedlearning.com reiterates all
three of my reasons for wanting to make this shift, space, money and the
digital shift. If I do not have the funds or desire to replace the entire
existing collection, then by integrating resources I could remove an entire
shelving unit, which then provides more learning space, creates a more open
learning commons feel and could be used in the future for a variety of more innovative
activities. In a summary from an
American Public Library chat group Libnet, such integration was discussed and for
the most part was promoted, with the few drawbacks being that patrons might not
notice non-circulatory stickers or that there was a higher chance of loss or
theft. Neither of these disadvantages would apply to our school as I have yet
to purchase anything I would not let the kids check out, and I likely wouldn’t
be purchasing anything tremendously more expensive than other library
materials. By doing so my hope is that students have an easier time searching
for the information they need, as well as increasing the chance that they
happen upon reference works they might not normally have seen because they are
interested in a topic.
Lastly,
after being reminded through recent course discussion the expensive nature of
our digital database subscriptions I’ve realized I’m not spending a
proportionate amount of time teaching and implementing them comparative to
their fraction of the budget. Because they are district purchased I may be
taking for granted their importance in our programming and we have been
informed before that subscriptions that are not frequently used will be subject
to cancellation. Despite doing yearly tutorials for all grades and teachers,
their application into every day research is still lacking, which tells me I
need to work harder to make their use an innate part of inquiries. As
Teacher-Librarian Wendy Stephens points out in Henrietta Verma’s School Library
Journal article on the future of reference, “My biggest challenge in pushing
students to better content is the teachers. I have so many teachers who are not
the best types of searchers, who don’t have the best skills at identifying
quality information,” (Verma). Perhaps it’s not just students who need more
dedicated database time, maybe in the form of information quests or scavenger
hunts, but teachers as well, so I plan to develop some lunch and learns or professional
development activities. Efficient use of databases means less time students are
looking for credible information as well as improved information skills and
therefore richer learning opportunities.
While
parts of this plan such as the weeding and database lessons could easily happen
in the next few months, in order to fully execute the purchasing aspect, I will
need to wait until next year’s budget is available. I think a brief outline and
rationale to administration and staff will suffice for communication, as it is
a completely unused section of our library. For my own follow up I think will
still mark new reference materials as such, despite their integration so I can
observe circulation statistics and monitor effectiveness of their placement.
Overall I hope these four changes help to improve my reference services by
creating a more user-friendly work space for students and teachers to find and
make use of information.
Works Cited
Riedling, Ann Marlow, et al. Reference Skills for the School Librarian:
Tools and Tips. 3rd ed., California, 2013.
