The Human Side of Reference and Information Services in Academic Libraries

Book excerpt: This book examines the questions: how academic libraries provide value-added reference and information services in the digital age. It provides best practices from a global perspective. The book starts by looking at the information needs and info-seeking behaviours of university students and faculty. Then it examines the use cycle: consumer, instruction, and producer. It examines the resource cycle: collection development, instructor, maintenance. What are the essential elements of reference: orientation, instruction, collaborative planning, products? - Focuses on information needs and information-seeking behaviours of academic library stakeholders (faculty, students, community) - Focuses on technologies: impact on reference and information services (selection, access, interaction, instruction, administration), focusing on the human issues - Emphasizes collaborative aspects of reference/info services (with faculty for program/course instruction, with computer services for digital integration, with other libraries for resource