Reference as Service, Reference as Place: A View of Reference in the Academic Library

Abstract

An ever-changing patron base, with increasing knowledge of basic technologies and comfort with ubiquitous computing, affects the library's ability to provide reliable support for research questions. Models for reference and research help have evolved over time; they seem to be trending toward increasingly distributed services and collaborative models offered at the point of need. Reference services continue to change with the advent of various technologies that are readily integrated into the academic library environment. This article addresses these issues and examines the concept of “reference as place,” the importance of a location for reference services, and its applicability to the contemporary academic library.

Keywords:

• reference services
• academic libraries
• reference models
• personal librarian
• library partnerships
• reference as place