Envisioning the Future of Reference Instruction: LIS Students' and Practitioners' Opinions on Print and Online Sources.

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Title:	Envisioning the Future of Reference Instruction: LIS Students' and Practitioners' Opinions on Print and Online Sources.
Authors:	Bossaller, Jenny S.¹, Adkins, denice²
Source:	Reference & User Services Quarterly. Winter2011, Vol. 51 Issue 2, p153-162. 10p. 11 Charts.
Subjects:	Library use studies, Reference sources, Library reference services, Libraries & students, Reference services in academic libraries, Education of public librarians, Education of academic librarians, Student surveys, Library school students
Abstract:	This paper examines students' and practitioners' attitudes toward, and uses of, various reference sources. It was precipitated by questioning the best outcomes of the basic reference class in Library Science programs, specifically asking what types of sources LIS students should be versed in as they enter the workforce -- print or online? This research found some differences between academic and public librarians, and little agreement about the purposes of the basic reference course. Teaching about types of reference sources today is difficult; as Margaret Landesman says, we are moving away from "reference collections" because of "the convergence among formats, [so that] we can't recognize a reference book when we see one."[1] Our students, though, might benefit from using print reference sources, less as a historical artifact, but for the concrete demonstration of organization of information that they offer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:	This paper examines students' and practitioners' attitudes toward, and uses of, various reference sources. It was precipitated by questioning the best outcomes of the basic reference class in Library Science programs, specifically asking what types of sources LIS students should be versed in as they enter the workforce -- print or online? This research found some differences between academic and public librarians, and little agreement about the purposes of the basic reference course. Teaching about types of reference sources today is difficult; as Margaret Landesman says, we are moving away from "reference collections" because of "the convergence among formats, [so that] we can't recognize a reference book when we see one."[1] Our students, though, might benefit from using print reference sources, less as a historical artifact, but for the concrete demonstration of organization of information that they offer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	10949054
DOI:	10.5860/rusq.51n2.153