When I was growing up, my Dad taught me how to shoot. Before I was ever allowed to shoot, my Dad taught me about the parts of the weapon, what they do and how they can affect my aim. Then he took more time to teach me safety procedures, how to be aware of my surroundings, how to breathe and how to position myself to shoot in different situations. Finally, after days of learning, the time came when he actually took me to the range to shoot. When I stepped up to the line, I was surprised to find out how helpful all of my Dad’s teachings were, and was glad that I did not need to listen to anymore lessons. Just then, he stopped me and shared the most valuable lesson of this experience. He told me to stop and feel the position I was in. Then, when I was ready to fire, to take one more look around me and then “send one down range”. This is a term used in the military to help infantry and artillery judge where they are shooting until they have mastered their weapon and can fire it accurately every time. So I did all that he asked, aimed at the center of the target and fired. My shot barely even hit the target. He asked me how and why I missed. I told him that I could have pulled my aim from the target when I fired or that my sights were off. He told me to make an adjustment and send one down range. I adjusted my sights, aimed at the center of the target and fired. This time I hit the target but it was not where I expected it to be. I made another adjustment and fired. This time I hit the target in the general vicinity I aimed. My dad congratulated me for figuring out what I needed to do. He gave me permission to shoot by myself as long as I remembered to send one down range before getting underway.

Sending one down range is effective method for librarians to gauge our knowledge and use of service concepts, principles and techniques to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy. Librarians must know and understand the proper concepts and principles used in locating and accessing information. They need to know and master the various techniques to determine the relevance and improve the accuracy of information searches. This is a service that patrons rely on librarians to do effectively, with repeatable results.

Information professionals should possess a working knowledge of information retrieval systems and records. It is expected that technical services staff can apply the concepts, principles and techniques to effectively create complete and accurate records representing the content of an item. They use controlled vocabulary and item descriptors to locate items in a catalog. Once the record is in the system it will be placed in the context of groups that share similar topics. Even the location of the item on the shelves reflects the content of the item. Any errors in the record would make that item lost in a sea of information. Reference librarians should be expected to know and properly use the same controlled vocabulary and item descriptors to find items for patrons. Conversely, catalogers must take the input of reference staff to insert table of contents and summaries into items’ records, which will allow patrons to successfully conduct keyword searches. Failure to possess and use that knowledge seriously affects the relevance and accuracy of any search they perform on behalf of a patron.

In LIBR 248, Beginning Cataloging and Classification with Dr. Robert Ellett, I was introduced to the complex world of cataloging and classifying information. Dr. Ellett gave many assignments that made students learn classification standards and the techniques to apply them. I present two assignments as evidence to show my competency, because they were similar with respect to their purpose. Each assignment was an exercise in becoming familiar with the tools catalogers use daily to create and build records. The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), and Library of Congress Classification Number (LCCN) assignments each required to me to determine the most accurate solution to the question. These assignments taught me that an item can have multiple possibilities to choose from when determining a DDC number or LCCN. Catalogers are responsible for choosing which possibility most accurately describes the topic of the item. They must also take in regard how users might approach the same topic and access the information. Learning how to navigate these tools to find the most accurate description of the information was a learning process that I have been able to use for my internships and employment. By completing these assignments, I demonstrate my proficiency in using controlled vocabulary, researching and synthesizing information to assure relevance and accuracy of an information search.

At The California Maritime Academy Library, I am responsible for the original and copy cataloging of all items in the collection. During a performance review, the Library Director, Carl Phillips, and I had a discussion on the importance of creating and using complete, enhanced bibliographic records. Basic records consist of physical descriptions of the item, bibliographical information and a handful of Library of Congress Subject Headings. Large academic libraries rely on the sheer number of items in their collection to provide sufficient relevance and accuracy of information searches in their catalogs. Small academic libraries must take full advantage of the few items in their collections. In order for them to provide the same relevance and accuracy, they need to include the table of contents, summaries and abstracts in their records in order for the catalog to search for that information. My cataloging work shows my understanding of this need. These MARC records contain the enhancements needed to provide more information about the items in order to improve the results of searches in the library’s catalog.

People have no patience to wait for services that do not meet their needs or do not provide expected results. If they choose to invest their time, they expect to be rewarded. So when a patron decides to ask a reference question to library staff, library staff needs to recognize what a monumental step the patron has taken and work to meet the expectations of the patron. Each patron being different, the expectations are different. Librarians need to know how to take control of a reference interview and access the resources of the library.

The skills and techniques needed to conduct successful reference interviews are not innate to anyone. In LIBR 210, Reference and Information Services with Robert Aaron, I learned what skills and techniques are used in providing effective reference and information services. Professor Aaron really seemed to stress the fact that, aside from just listening, you need to listen for content. Good service providers are able to synthesize the patrons request, remove the superfluous and restate the goal of the inquiry back to the patron. This helps the patron to realize what information they really are looking for, and helps the provider to think about what resources are available and choose an approach that will best answer the patron’s inquiry.

Professor Aaron assigned us to observe two professional reference librarians conducting day-to-day reference duties and interviews. I chose to observe at the Shields Library at UC Davis. In my observation assignment, I record my thoughts and critiques of the two librarians I observed. Sometimes it felt like they were following a prescribed script to answer patron’s inquiries, while at other times they really seemed to think about and understand the patron’s request and adapt their approach to help locate and provide the information they needed. They were not perfect in the execution of their duties, but they were able to help every student or patron that called upon their service. The successful completion of this assignment brought me a sense of reassurance in being able to conduct reference and information services. Being new to providing this level of reference services presents a challenge and opportunity to grow. The skills that I will need to succeed in this line of service need to be cultivated and constantly exercised in order to be effective. These skills must also be coupled with an intimate knowledge of the collection that I have access to.

Librarians have always had to answer reference questions. Only since the latter half of this century have they had to do it virtually, or not face to face. When patrons realized they were able to call the library on the phone and get reference services, librarians had to find a way to conduct a good reference interview even without face to face interaction. Face to face interaction is useful, because much of human communication is not actually transmitted through words. During a physical reference interview, a librarian read body language that communicates interest or lack of interest in the interview, which may prompt the librarian to take a different approach in hopes of achieving a better interaction. The inflection of the voice is something that is transmitted easily and can also drastically affect the reference interview. With the rise of virtual reference interviews through chat and email, where body language and inflection are not available, reference librarians must extract and interpret the correct information to assist the patron.

In the research paper I wrote for LIBR 210, I explored the advantages and disadvantages of conducting reference transactions in the virtual setting. In this paper I describe how difficult it is for a reference librarian who is trained to conduct in a face to face manner to adapt to the virtual world. Virtual reference offers patrons service at any time from any location. The convenience of this service to college students and medical and brokerage industries has made it a necessity. Yet one of the major limitations I discuss in my paper is that virtual reference librarians may not have access to the library catalog that the patron is using. Some library systems and consortiums have developed programs that specifically serve their clientele, giving them uniform access to resources. With the completion of this paper, I have a better understanding of the service concepts, principles and techniques to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy in the virtual reference situation. While there are limitations right now to virtual reference, its appeal will cause the profession to develop new methods which will become the standard reference interaction. Technology will continue to develop and libraries will choose a uniform standard that will help to restore the face to face interaction that makes reference interviews such a truly valuable source of information when meeting the information needs of a patron.

Libraries value experience when it comes to selecting librarians to work in reference services. They truly examine a candidate’s knowledge and application of the service concepts, principles and techniques needed to facilitate information access, relevance, and accuracy. Like me, they understand that these skills and techniques are not just something you learn one time. They must be continuously worked upon and practiced in multiple situations in order to achieve mastery. Even at the point of mastery, there will always be those patrons who will attempt to stump the librarian. I know that, while I was an intern at The California Maritime Academy Library, I have made mistakes as a reference librarian by leading a patron instead of allowing the patron to lead me through a topic and also by missing opportunities to teach information literacy in a research situation. The good part is that I recognized my mistakes and in each interview I conduct I focus on not perpetrating those mistakes again. At work, where my focus is in technical services, I try to make the most of my time at the reference desk. During my assigned time, I hope that students come to utilize me and participate in one reference interview per day. This allows me to serve the students and teach them valuable information literacy skills, and enables me to evaluate and continuously hone my skills, preparing me for future reference interactions.