‘You're a guide rather than an expert’: Archival reference from an archivist's point of view

Abstract

This study explores facilitating access and reference service provision through the eyes of reference archivists. The study examines the archival reference process through interviews with thirteen reference archivists at large archival institutions in two different countries. Participants describe examples of satisfactory and unsatisfactory reference interactions in both onsite and remote settings and provide insight into their perceptions of the best and worst aspects of providing archival reference services. Their descriptions provide a first-hand account of the archival reference processes, the barriers to providing reference services both in person and remotely, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary for providing effective reference services.

Notes

[1] The reference archivists in this study provide dedicated reference services, i.e. their work consisted of assisting the public by answering their questions, helping them locate relevant material, recommending useful sources, interpreting information found in records or deciphering handwriting and providing instruction on the use of the archival system. These archivists spent part of their work day on the reference desk serving users in situ and part of their work day answering questions via the phone, mail or email.

[2] Cox, ‘Researching Archival Reference as an Information Function: Observations on Needs and Opportunities'; Malbin, ‘The Reference Interview in Archival Literature’; Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist.’

[3] Yakel, ‘Listening to Users,’ 112.

[4] Malbin, ‘The Reference Interview in Archival Literature,’ 69.

[5] Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 266.

[6] Cox, ‘Researching Archival Reference as an Information Function,’ 387.

[7] Heald, ‘Reference Service in Archives: Whither a Professional Ethos,’ 353.

[8] Heald, ‘Reference Service in Archives: Whither a Professional Ethos,’ 353; Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 266; Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art,’ 11.

[9] Heald, ‘Reference service in Archives,’ 353.

[10] Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist’; Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art,’ 8.

[11] Pugh, ‘The Illusion of Omniscience: Subject Access and the Reference Archivist,’ 38.

[12] Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art,’ 6 – 7; Pugh, ‘Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts.’

[13] Tissing, ‘The Orientation Interview in Archival Reference’; Jimerson, ‘Reference Access and use,’ 15; Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art,’ 7 – 8; Pugh, ‘Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts,’ 26 – 7.

[14] Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art,’ 7.

[15] Long, ‘Question Negotiation in the Archival Setting’; Duncan, ‘Interacting for Information.’

[16] Long, ‘Question Negotiation in the Archival Setting,’ 49; Pugh, ‘The Illusion of Omniscience,’ 34; Heald, ‘Reference Service in Archives,’ 355.

[17] Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 272; Yakel, ‘Listening to Users,’ 122.

[18] O'Donnell, ‘Reference Service in an Academic Archives,’ 110.

[19] Barnett, ‘Sitting in the Hot Seat: Some thoughts from the Reference Chair,’ 40.

[20] Malbin, ‘The Reference Interview in Archival Literature.’

[21] Cox, ‘Researching Archival Reference as an Information Function,’ 395; Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 274.

[22] Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 274; Duncan, ‘Interacting for Information,’ 218.

[23] Duncan, ‘Interacting for Information,’ 219; Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 275.

[24] Ruth, ‘Educating the Reference Archivist,’ 275.

[25] Barnett, ‘Sitting in the Hot Seat: Some thoughts from the Reference Chair,’ 42.

[26] Pugh, Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts, 26 – 7.

[27] Yakel, ‘Information Literacy for Primary Sources: Creating a New Paradigm for Archival Researcher Education.’

[28] Malbin, 73, 76.

[29] Cross, ‘Archival Reference: State of the Art’; Bell, ‘Managing Reference E-mail in an Archival Setting.’

[30] Pugh, Providing Reference Services for Archives and Manuscripts, 112.

[31] O’Donnell, ‘Reference Service in an Academic Archives.’

[32] Salzmann, ‘“Contact Us”: Archivists and Remote Users in the Digital Age.’

[33] Lavendar, Nicholson, and Pomerantz, ‘Building Bridges for collaborative Digital Reference between Libraries and Museums through an examination of Reference in Special Collections.’

[34] Both archives were large institutions with dedicated reference staff.