55Part 2reference services
The reference librarian is the library’s human face.
—David Tyckoson, “That Thing You Do”w
hether that “human face” is a voice on the telephone, the reply to an
e-mail, chat, or text message, or an actual human visage, the implica-
tion is the same: reference librarians are the library to the person in need of
information. Our role is to help our patrons find what they seek, and often,
help them figure out exactly what that is. One of the finest compliments I’ve
ever received as a reference librarian was to hear a patron say, “You’re the first
person I’ve spoken to today who understands what I’m talking about.”
Reference service demands a lot from its practitioners: a wide general
knowledge, a sense of curiosity and willingness to learn, the ability to listen,
familiarity with the collections and services offered by your institution as well
as those of others nearby, a genuine desire to help, and the capacity to treat all
library patrons (and your coworkers) with courtesy, interest, and respect. An
unlimited supply of patience and a healthy sense of humor are also essential.
Reference service embodies a basic principle of librarianship—direct
assistance to readers: we answer their questions, help them locate needed
information, and guide them through our sometimes (make that often) con-
fusing library systems. In 1876 Samuel S. Green called it “personal relations
between librarians and readers.”^1 He described four functions of reference