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31 October 2003
Review by Sarah Morphett
So what do 'Reference Enquiry, Banshee' and 'SALIN
Xmas Dinner' all have in common. NO - it is not a portrayal of a
Banshee librarian eating those who dare to ask a reference question.
They are of course all pictionary clues that were drawn with various
degrees of success at SALIN's Halloween forum: Is the Reference
Librarian Dead?
October 31st in the Ira Raymond Room at the
Barr Smith Library, and
The night was dark and stormy
The lightening lit the sky
The witch got out her broomstick
And cackling off did fly!!!
Bec Van Diemen and Michelle Cox
This was indeed the scene as members of the
executive committee dressed as witches to welcome those joining the
coven for a lively debate on whether the reference librarian has
passed over.
Jennifer Osborn (Reference Librarian) argued
that the reference librarian is dead (making her one of the living
dead!). She suggested that this was due to three main causes:
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Seduction
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Stagnation
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Senility
Very helpfully, Jennifer also suggested
potential jobs for soon to be redundant librarians. A crowd
favourite was writing popular fiction, since we too want to be the
proud author of a title such as 'Nympho Librarian'. Unfortunately ,
'net nanny' parameters restrict the cover being shown at this time!
Sorry *grin*!
Steve Cramond (Electronic Information Resources
Librarian) took the opposite side confirming that there is hope for
the reference librarian. Steve argued that while the day to day role
and perhaps even the physical location of the reference librarian
may change due to the impact of the Internet and technology, it is
thus that is reinventing and rejuvenating the librarian. Indeed it
is the mass of information (perceived and/or real) now available
that makes the reference librarian more important than ever.
After the formal debate had concluded,
participants broke into a number of groups for a brief 'meet and
greet' and to discuss the following.
-
The internet is effectively challenging the
reference desk in two related, but distinct ways:
-
As a source of easy-to-find, ready
information (accuracy et. al. notwithstanding)
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As the means by which commercial reference
providers can operate and be easily accessible.
Do you agree? Do you think they are a challenge
or threat to the traditional reference desk service? What can be
done in the face of these?
-
"If the truth be known, as a place to get
help in finding information, the reference desk was never a good
idea" - discuss...
The groups talked about their own experiences -
how they have observed that some people find the reference desk as
slightly intimidating, and strategies that are implemented to
encourage users to approach the desk!! There was discussion about
the amount of information that is not on the internet - refereed and
scholarly journals, etc. Also a lot of discussion that many users do
not want user education; they want it done for them - they do not
want to learn complex search strategies, they just want stuff fast.
The final section of the evening was taken up
with a very contentious, but exciting and boisterous game of
pictionary. Apparently in hindsight we ignored some rules, and the
topic coordinator seemed a little biased (note - not for the winning
group either) but that didn't seem to matter at the time. Topics
were either of a library nature (e.g. reference enquiry), about
Halloween (e.g. Banshee - arguably the hardest to draw and/or guess)
or a combination of both (e.g. SALIN Christmas Dinner - and a very
good night that was on the 15th at Ottomans as well). Actually I
think this was a library topic - but it was still hard to draw! Bags
of Halloween lollies went to the winners -well those brave enough to
eat eyeballs and Dracula teeth! Oh and if you haven't eaten the
teeth yet - my advice is DON'T!
Thanks go to the two speakers Jennifer Osborn
and Steve Cramond (both of the Barr Smith Library, Adelaide
University), all the willing participants, and finally to the
executive committee of SALIN for providing an evening of both Trick
and Treats!
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