Competency I

Preparation and Evidence

Library services embrace a wide array of learning opportunities, from library programs to digital libraries to online educational courses to catalog systems and reference librarians that connect individuals to these services. Pinpointing a class for this competency strikes a list of diverse learning opportunities that contribute to my understanding of Competency I.

The earliest memory I have of learning how to connect individuals to a library service comes from Professor Tunon's INFO 210 Reference and Information Services class. For her class, we had to create an online reference tutorial using modern technologies for a library service patrons may need help accessing. At the time of this assignment, I was in my second year working as a library aide, and a service that patrons inquired most about were digital books. They mainly wanted to know if the library provided ebooks. For questions like these, I would refer them to OverDrive and explain that they could access it from the library's website. However, the extent of my knowledge could not provide any further details that described how to navigate the digital library or borrow materials. These experiences made me aware that I needed to improve my customer service skills and that is what led me to decide and make this topic the focus on my online reference tutorial for Professor Tunon's class.

Initially, I wanted to create a video of my online reference tutorial for patrons but decided not to because it would only benefit a small percentage of the community. Many of our library patrons lack tech-literacy skills, from senior citizens to the youth. If they need help accessing a web tool such as OverDrive, a video posted on the web may not be a good option, or so I conclude based on my observations. For this assignment, I used the school blog to create a step-by-step online reference tutorail that explains how to utilize OverDrive, which we can print for patrons in case they need a physical copy to reference as they navigate OverDrive. Before creating my online reference tutorial, I explored OverDrive to familiarize myself with this digital service. The website is user-friendly; however, I became confused about how to borrow books. Beneath the item title, there are descriptive words that let users know if the item is available. If the item description says that you must place a hold, then the digital copy is not available for use. I did not understand why we had to reserve digital materials or why items had a waiting list; however, later I would learn that this is due to item licensing.

When I created the online reference tutorial, I wanted to address three things: first, how to access the central features of the website, secondly, how to navigate the website when applying keywords in the search engine. Lastly, I want users to know that there are materials available in foreign languages.

The first time someone inquired about ebook materials, they did not have a preference for a specific title. The patron mainly wanted to know if there were materials available for children. For users that are looking to browse through titles, the website makes it easy for users to engage with their information-seeking behaviors. In the case of this patron, their inquiry focused on accessing materials for a specific age group, children. OverDrive lets users search by age or subject. At the library, we categorize fiction titles alphabetically, yet many patrons assume we categorize our items based on genre. A genre selection would make it easier for users to filter through information, and OverDrive offers this to patrons. The subjects category breaks titles by genre, so patrons interested in science fiction can filter through materials rather quickly to access items that satisfy their information needs. Next, they can refine the genre selection by age group. In the case of the patron who may not have had a genre preference, she could go straight to age to list all related data.

The search navigation tool advances how quickly a user can gather and condense data. In the example I provided, I wanted to enter a keyword, the name of the author, in the search engine to demonstrate to users how information is displayed. In the case of my search, the system displayed items that matched my search query. The items were not filtered based on availability; however, the book images provide details regarding availability and prompt the user on the following steps after they have reserved or borrowed items.

The final thing I wanted to mention to users through this online reference tutorial is that items are available in other languages as well. The digital library has a selection of Spanish/Castilian and Chinese materials to accommodate the needs of foreign speakers. The Country of Los Angeles Library recognizes that it serves diverse demographics, and addressing their needs demonstrate not only cultural competence but competence in customer care and product services as well, where librarians and libraries connect people to sources and technologies that satisfy their needs. Since the development of this online reference tutorial and my analysis of OverDrive, I have been able to promote this service with ease, answering any questions patrons may ask. It also prompted me to be more aware of the type of services the library offers so that I could connect patrons to accurate resources.

Another source that played a tremendous role in molding my competence for reference service and product services, and that taught me about challenges librarians face in modern day society when addressing the needs of users is Professor Barefoot's INFO 232 Issues in Public Libraries class. Reference services today have a powerful impact on communities, surpassing expectations and transforming the roles and day-to-day tasks of librarians. Engaging in reference services and librarianship requires the information professional to adopt an active role and learn new skills that satisfy the information needs of users. These notions stem from a collaborative research assignment performed in Professor Barefoot's class which I present to you as my second piece of evidence for Competency I.

In response to Albanese and Kenney's article in which they declare that patrons are invested in obtaining help versus receiving aid in locating materials (Albanese & Kenney, 2016, para. 1), Berman states that while although this is true, librarians roles have changed to provide people with the help they seek by implementing classes that provide educational opportunities and personal assistance that can train them in areas they may feel deficient (Albanese & Kenney, 2016, para. 10). Berman's ideas behind the modern-day librarian resonate with the arguments presented in my group's analysis where we examine the challenges librarians face when addressing the needs of those experiencing homelessness. In the past decade, homelessness has been on the rise with recent statistics declaring that in 2018, there were 552,830 reported individuals experiencing homelessness ("State of homelessness," n.d.). A percentage of libraries clientele are homeless individuals who turn to libraries for shelter, acceptance, and safety. As they make use of the space, members of this community take advantage of entertainment and information resources. The informational needs my group gathered, according to Hersberger (2005), include the following topics:

From these topics, homeless library patrons expressed higher interest in the topic of healthcare, ultimately challenging reference services. The lack of access to proper healthcare and medical attention pushes these individuals to ask reference librarians for medical diagnostics which result in information barriers. Information professionals are skilled in acquiring information from legitimate sources, and many reference librarians turn to "Mayo Clinic, a health reference database, NIH, or health service agencies" to acquire data they can distribute to the patron. However, our studies taught us that these individuals rely heavily on the reference librarians input on "medication interactions, medical appointments, or providing access to health navigators who could assist users with finding information about health insurance," (Williams, 2016, p. 4) which challenges the role and skills of the librarian forcing them to act as agents of social welfare and health consultations.

The increase in demand for this topic has brought change in how librarians address these information needs. Many reference librarians believe in capitalizing on this movement to enrich library services by offering more resources to the homeless community that will address their needs. Librarians also believe this is an opportunity to reimagine the role of the reference librarian and provide them with the proper tools to train in subject areas that will allow them to perform well during reference interactions with these individuals. "Getting more involved in outcomes, librarians say, is critical to the future of reference" (Albanese & Kenney, 2016, para.12). Some libraries address these concerns by building connections with agencies that can teach them more about the subject of homelessness so that they could provide homeless library patrons with the proper tools to connect with agencies that may offer help. The American Library Association (ALA) suggests pairing with service agencies and shelters to help distribute information about library programs that may benefit the needs of homeless library patrons ("Extending our research: Reducing homelessness through library engagement," 2012). ALA also suggests that a good way to prepare for reference questions involving topics of shelter, meals, accessible medical care, employment, the reference librarian should have a list of "local social services available at the reference desk, literature racks or display, or on a library resource page" ("Extending our research: Reducing homelessness through library engagement," 2012, para. 7). For individuals facing health issues, studies show the librarians have shifted from engaging as a reference librarian to "becoming frontline staff to help patrons" (Williams, 2016, p. 4), either by connecting them to social services or other agencies that may be able to offer better opportunities.

Homeless library patrons include between that range in age and ethnic diversity. "The Department of Justice estimates that every year, over 1.7 million teens experience homelessness in the U.S." ("11 facts about homeless teens," n.d.). The library provides ample sources for teens including entertainment such as movies, music, and books. It is essential that libraries provide a space where teens can feel comfortable and welcomed so that they could build connections that may aid their situation. Libraries make every effort to address the needs of all groups. ALA notes that there are libraries that address the homeless youth library patrons by offering a program called safe place training which locates the nearest shelter or provides contact information of a nearby agency to teens by texting the word "safe" to 69899 ("Extending our research: Reducing homelessness through library engagement," 2012, para. 11).

The variety in how reference librarians address the needs of homeless library patrons demonstrates that their engagement is pivotal in aiding situations or guiding and connecting people to the right resources. Reference librarians demonstrate a proactive role by exceeding the limitations of reference services and librarianship. They go above and beyond to not only answer reference questions but to help individuals find the appropriate sources that will satisfy their information needs. The materials that aid my understanding of reference services for people experiencing homelessness taught me that reference librarians have revised their roles, becoming much more active and engaged without having to compromise the integrity of the library's mission.

Future Applications

From the examples above, we learn that reference services are delivered in a diverse number of ways. A reference librarian can create an online reference tutorial to help users navigate library tools, or they can create pathfinders or libguides to connect people with information. The reference librarian, through observations of reference interviews, can create new sources of information to satisfy the needs of an information community. The example provided above demonstrates how addressing reference questions from homeless library patrons challenge how librarians provide reference services. Librarians understand that treating their informational needs has a lot to do with connecting them to the right resources. Connecting them to resources is a means of providing more information which ultimately triggers the information user's information-seeking behaviors. These examples demonstrate how reference librarians are changing the role of reference services by creating information tools and information programs that fulfill informational needs tapped during information-seeking behaviors.

Reference librarians that understand how to provide information without hindering the patrons information-seeking process are examples of excellent reference librarianship. The online reference tutorial taught me that I can provide reference services by demonstrating to patrons where they can access more materials and how to navigate the digital tool without hindering information-seeking behaviors. The form in which users choose to navigate with digital tools and the type of information they search for are actions performed by the users as they start the initial phases of engaging with information-seeking behaviors. This analysis is crucial in drafting my competence in reference services and program services.