This book, first published in 1992, examines the reference librarian's role as a connecting link between information seekers and the resources they need. It provides the best approaches to providing resolutions or guidance to the appropriate resources.
This book, first published in 1992, examines the reference librarian's role as a connecting link between information seekers and the resources they need. It provides the best approaches to providing resolutions or guidance to the appropriate resources. It analyses librarians’ reference skills, communication abilities, accuracy in responding to specific inquiries, and sensitivity to various groups such as paraprofessionals and non-traditional patrons. This provocative book encourages librarians to go beyond merely providing an answer or resource to helping clients better understand the physical surroundings, the social or educational context, and the ethical, political and economic climate in which the process takes place.
1. Introduction M. Keith Ewing and Robert Hauptman
2. The Librarian as
Mediator Arthur W. Hafner and Valerie M. Camarigg
3. The Reference Librarian
as Information Intermediary: The Correct Approach Is the One That Today's
Client Needs Today Herbert S. White
4. Back to Basics: Recommitment To
Patrons' Information Needs Claudette S. Hagle
5. Mediation in Reference
Service To Extend Patron Success Jack Alan Hicks
6. Books and Screens,
Readers and Reference: Bridging the Video Gap John Swan
7. Electronic
Reference Services: Mediation for the 1990s Anita K. Evans
8. Response to
Swan and Evans: Problems and Opportunities Michael D. Kathman
9.
Information and Research Support Services: The Reference Librarian and the
Information Paraprofessional Carol Hammond
10. Response to Hammond:
Paraprofessionals at the Reference Desk: The End of the Debate Larry R.
Oberg
11. Breaking Through: Effective Reference Mediation for Non-traditional
Public Library Users Sally G. Reed
12. Response To Reed: Unequal But
Appropriate Service Emmett Davis
13. Mediation and Schemata Theory in
Meaningful Learning: The Academic Librarian's Role in the Educational Process
Barbara Doyle-Wilch and Marian I. Miller
14. Questions and Answers: The
Dialogue Between Composition Teachers and Reference Librarians Sarah R.
Marino and Elin K. Jacob
15. The Reference Librarian as Mediator: Predicting
Accuracy Scores From User Impressions F.W. Lancaster, Kurt M. Joseph and
Cheryl Elzy
16. Mediation in a Shrinking Information Economy Renee Tjoumas
17. Academic Librarians and Mediation in Controversial Scholarly
Communication Gordon Moran
M. Keith Ewing, Robert Hauptman
