Introduction to Reference and Information Sources - Key Terms (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on the history, roles, and components of reference and information services.

Reference Service

Personal assistance given by the library to individual readers in pursuit of information and in using the resources of a library for study and research.

Reference Book

A book designed to be consulted for definite items of information rather than read consecutively (e.g., encyclopedia, atlas, almanac, bibliographies).

Reference Question

Any request for information or aid that requires the use of one or more sources or the librarian’s professional judgment to determine the answer.

Reference Librarian

A librarian who helps readers access and use the library’s resources; often described as guiding readers to information rather than simply giving answers.

Reference Work

The phase of library work directly concerned with assisting readers in securing information and in using the library’s resources for study and research.

Inquirer

The person seeking information in a reference transaction; the central actor in the interaction between user and library.

Information Services (RUSA)

The range of forms of information services in libraries, including direct personal assistance, readers’ advisory, and access to electronic information.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

A service that allows users to borrow books or request copies of articles from partner libraries.

Library Consortia and Networks

Groups of libraries sharing subscriptions to databases, e-resources, and cataloging tools.

Collaborative Reference Services

Libraries assisting each other in answering specialized or complex queries, often through online reference networks.

Union Catalogs and Shared Cataloging

Linked libraries contributing to a common bibliographic database to improve access and avoid duplicated cataloging.

Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)

A library classification system created by Melvil Dewey to organize library materials.

Melvil Dewey

Librarian who organized the first two-person reference department at Columbia College and created the Dewey Decimal Classification.

Samuel Swett Green

Known as the Father of Reference Work; identified four components: instruct readers, assist inquiries, aid in selection, promote the library.

Justin Winsor

Advocated the founding of free libraries and the use of reference; notable for a 1871 brochure on these ideas.

Boston Public Library

The first public library to open its doors to the public (1854).

Alice Bertha Kroeger

Expanded the reference librarian’s role to guiding readers to information and treating reference service as an activity beyond traditional librarianship.

John Cotton Dana

Argued that librarians should instruct in the use of materials and act as guides; known for innovations in offering and promoting library services.

William S. Learned

Promoted the idea of an “intelligence service” tailored to individual information needs.

Ranganathan

Proponent of personal, user-centered service; emphasizes direct contact between reader and documents, with ongoing professional development.

Ancient Libraries

Early libraries in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece; custodians of scrolls and tablets, guiding users to information.

Medieval Librarians

Monks who preserved manuscripts and assisted scholars in locating and retrieving texts.

Renaissance Library Services

Period when public libraries reemerged; reference services expanded; development of bibliographic tools like indexes and catalogs.

19th Century Libraries

Era of professionalization and expanded reference services; rise of public libraries and increased use of bibliographies and indexes.

20th Century Reference Services

Professional librarians, reference desks, and diverse reference collections (books, periodicals, microforms, digital).

Digital Age in Reference

Rise of the internet and digital resources (online databases, e-books, digital archives) and focus on information credibility and search strategies.

General Reference Examples

Materials designed for broad, cross-disciplinary information, such as encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, and bibliographies.