A reference desk or information desk is a public service counter in a library where professional librarians provide library users with direction to library materials, advice on library collections and services, and expertise on multiple kinds of information from multiple sources.[1] Library users can consult the staff at the reference desk for help in finding information, and the ultimate help provided may consist of reading material in the form of a book or journal article, instruction in the use of specific searchable information resources, or simply factual information drawn from the library's print or online reference collection.[2]
Typically, a reference desk can be consulted either in person, by telephone, through email or online chat, although a library user may be asked to come to the library in person for help with more involved research questions.[2] A staffed and knowledgeable reference desk is an essential part of a library.[3]
Purpose and usage[edit | edit source]
Using a structured reference interview, the librarian works with the library user to clarify their needs and determine what information sources will fill them.[4][2] The services that are provided at a reference desk may vary depending on the type of library, its purpose, its resources, and its staff.[3] The services of circulation and reference desks are also sometimes combined.[3]
Information is also provided to patrons through electronic resources.[2] During the 2020 pandemic, there was a surge of virtual information desks, and it has been found that chat, email, and web conferencing formats have become adequate substitutions for in-person conversations.[5] AI chatbots are also being used in academic libraries to address typical information inquiries, although their use is still being tested.[6]
History[edit | edit source]
Reference services did not become commonplace in libraries until the late 1800s, and these services initially began in public libraries.[7] At first librarians were hesitant to offer reference services because many libraries did not have a large enough staff to provide the services without other duties being neglected.[7]
Beginning in 1883 with the Boston Public Library, libraries began to hire librarians whose primary duty was to provide reference services.[7] One of the earliest proponents of reference services was Samuel Swett Green. He wrote an article titled "Personal Relations Between Librarians and Readers" which had a large impact on the future of reference services.[7]
Utor (2008) defined reference services as a direct personal assistance to readers seeking information through direct contact between the reference librarian and the user.[8] Reference desks changed dramatically with the emergence of information technology.[7]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Resources that are often kept at a library reference desk may include:[9]
- A computer with internet access. Librarians use both the public web and subscription databases to find and evaluate information and research sources.
- A small collection of reference books (called ready reference) that are most often used, so that the librarians can reach them quickly, especially when they are on the phone, and so that the books will be returned in time for someone else to use later the same day. The library's full reference collection is usually nearby as well.
- Newspaper clipping files and other rare or restricted items that must be returned to the reference desk.
- Index cards with the answers to frequently asked questions, and/or drawers with folders of pamphlets and photocopies of pages that, from previous experience, were difficult to find. These enable librarians to find such information quickly without leaving the desk—even faster than they could look it up in a reference book or using the Internet.
- Books and other items that are being held for library users who asked the librarian by phone to set them aside for them to pick up later the same day, or within the next few days.
- Books from the circulating collection that have been set aside for students working on a special assignment, and are temporarily designated to be used only within the library until the project is due.
- Printed lists of items in the library that are not in the catalogue, such as newspapers, school yearbooks, old telephone directories, college course catalogues, and local history sources.
Services[edit | edit source]
Services that are often available at a library reference desk include:[9]
- A sign-up sheet for reserving computers with Internet access, or word processing software.
- The ability to place a book 'on hold', which prevents the person who has borrowed it from renewing it. The person who placed the 'hold' is notified when the book has been returned.
- The ability to request interlibrary loan of books and other material from other branch libraries in the same library system, or from a cooperating library anywhere in the world.
- The opportunity to recommend that the library purchase something for its collection that it does not have, which may be needed or of interest to other library users.
The librarian who staffs the reference desk can usually do the following by virtue of their professional training and experience:[9]
- Look up a brief, factual answer to a specific question.
- Use the catalogue to find out whether the library owns an item with a particular title or author, or that contains a short story, chapter, song, or poem with a particular title, or to compile a list of books by a particular author or on a particular subject.
- Briefly teach the user how to use the catalogue and how to use its advanced features, or recommend the proper subject words or terms that are used in the catalogue for the topic the user has in mind.
- Take the library user directly to the shelves with books on a certain topic without using the catalogue.
In the digital age[edit | edit source]
The reference desk has evolved significantly with the emergence of digital technologies. While the physical desk remains a fixture in many libraries, virtual reference services now allow users to ask questions through chat, email, and video conferencing.[5] These services expanded dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many libraries were closed to in-person visits.[5]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Levine-Clark, Michael; Carter, Toni M., eds. (2013). ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science (4th ed.). American Library Association. ISBN 9780838911112.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Librarians". U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 15 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Rubin, Richard E. (2016). Foundations of Library and Information Science (4th ed.). Neal-Schuman Publishers. ISBN 9780838913703.
- ↑ Bopp, Richard E.; Smith, Linda C., eds. (2011). Reference and Information Services: An Introduction (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 9781591583745.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Radford, Marie L.; Costello, Laura; Montague, Kaitlin E. (2021). "Surging Virtual Reference Services: COVID-19 a Game Changer". College & Research Libraries News. 82 (3): 106–113. doi:10.5860/crln.82.3.106.
- ↑ Cox, Christopher; Tzoc, Elias (2023). "ChatGPT: Implications for Academic Libraries". College & Research Libraries News. 84 (3): 99–102. doi:10.5860/crln.84.3.99.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Rothstein, Samuel (1955). The Development of Reference Services through Academic Traditions, Public Library Practice and Special Librarianship. ACRL Monographs. Vol. 14. Association of College and Research Libraries.
- ↑ Utor, Joseph (2008). "Reference Services in Nigerian University Libraries". Library Philosophy and Practice. Retrieved 15 October 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Cassell, Kay Ann; Hiremath, Uma (2018). Reference and Information Services: An Introduction (4th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman. ISBN 9780838915684.