Training for the Reference Olympics

Abstract

This discussion covers the musings of a library student who is on the cusp of completing her graduate program after which she aspires to be a reference librarian at a public library. By developing personalized training goals for herself, she hopes to improve her skill in this capacity. Her goals include participation in Slam the Boards!, research into various reference sources, practice in readers' advisory, and maximizing her approachability while on the desk. She also discusses in what ways she has failed to succeed in these goals and how she hopes to correct these failings.

Keywords:

• reference services
• training
• public libraries
• professional development
• personal improvement