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Spring 2004

Division News

From the President

Then . . . and Now: Reference Reinvented?

Philadelphia, October 1876. In a startling speech this morning at the Conference of Librarians, Samuel S. Green suggested that library readers need the help of a librarian to find information. “Persons who use a popular library for purposes of investigation,” he said, “generally need a great deal of assistance.” To support his thesis, Green provided numerous specific examples of instances in which readers were assisted by library staff at the Worcester Free Public Library in Worcester, Massachusetts. Over six years of providing personal assistance has convinced Green that readers cannot make the best use of resources – even if library catalogues and indexes are improved – without the help of librarians. He outlined some guidelines for working with readers, from offering ready sympathy to avoiding proselytizing. Green concluded his revolutionary talk with the observation that “the more freely a librarian mingles with readers, and the greater the amount of assistance he renders them, the more intense does the conviction of citizens, also, become, that the library is a useful institution . . . “

Orlando, June 2004. “If we could start over, what would reference look like?” In a provocative message to librarians everywhere, the Reference and User Services Association’s President’s Program Committee announced that it is time to reexamine the century old model of what has become known over time as “reference service.” It has been over one hundred years since Samuel S. Green proposed that the users of libraries benefit from the personal assistance of a librarian when looking for information. What if librarians threw out all of our deeply ingrained beliefs about reference services and began anew? What would reference reinvented look like? What might serve as new models for reference services? A seminar-style session facilitated by Joe Janes, associate professor in the University of Washington’s Information School and founder of the Internet Public Library, will explore ways in which libraries can support customers' information needs by considering the current and future state of customers, communities, library staffs, collections, technology, and related concerns. Seminar participants include Blythe Bennett, Virtual Reference Desk Coordinator, Information Institute of Syracuse; Jody Condit Fagan, Associate Professor, Southern Illinois University Jeff Penka, Manager, Cooperative Reference Services, OCLC; Rivkah Sass, Director, Omaha Public Library; and Joe Thompson, Project Coordinator, Maryland AskUsNow. “This isn’t going to be your standard ALA everybody-gets-15-minutes-plus-questions session,” enthused Janes. “These people are terrific and will discuss some deep questions about what reference work is and should be. We’re hoping for something fresh, original, and provocative, and something everybody can find valuable.” Comments will be solicited from the audience, with the idea of shaping a realistic vision of 21st century service. Program organizers recommend early arrival at this exciting RUSA President's Program, scheduled for Monday, June 28, at 1:30 p.m. in the Peabody Orlando Hotel, Florida Ballroom II.
Nancy Huling, hulingn@u.washington.edu

RUSA offers genealogy research preconference at ALA Annual Conference

The History Section is offering a preconference to train participants in genealogical research and how to get the most out of related reference sources. The preconference, "Behind the Genealogy Reference Desk: Back to the Basics," takes place on Friday, June 25, 2004, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The interest in genealogy continues to grow with an estimated 70 million people researching their ancestry. This one-day educational preconference is designed for beginners interested in learning more about genealogical research and librarians looking for information on resources and basic training to better serve their patrons. Speakers will cover the field of genealogy today including new websites and databases, how to prepare library and ready reference materials, and the U.S. Population Census.

The preconference speakers are Carole Callard, recipient of the 2003 Filby Genealogy Librarian Award and genealogy specialist, Library of Michigan; Thomas J. Kemp, editor of "Virtual Roots 2.0: A Guide to Genealogy and Local History and the World Wide Web," and assistant director, Godfrey Memorial Library, Middletown, Conn.; Harriet Protos, reference librarian supervisor, Collier County Public Library, Naples, Fla.; Janice Schultz, genealogy librarian, Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, Mo.; Drew Smith, editor of the book "How to Do Everything With Your Genealogy," moderator of GENealib and instructor, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.

For more information or to register for the preconference, please go to: http://www.ala.org/RusaTemplate.cfm?Section=rusapreconference

RUSA Board Actions at Midwinter

The RUSA Board of Director met January 11-13, 2004 in San Diego and took the following actions:

Approved the petition for the establishment of a new section called Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS). The new section will be officially established on September 1, 2004.
Gave approval to one proposal for a genealogical workshop at the 2005 Midwinter meeting and provisional approval to three proposals for preconferences at the 2005 ALA Annual Conference.
Asked the RUSA Web Policies Subcommittee to develop guidelines on how to deal with challenges to content on the RUSA website.
Approved the proposal for the ABC-CLIO Online History Award. (The ALA Awards Committee also approved the proposal.) The award will be offered for the first time in 2005.
Transferred the administration of the Dartmouth Medal and the Louis Shores-Greenwood Publishing Group Award to CODES, and agreed that the presentation of these awards would be made at the RUSA Awards Ceremony.
Voted to co-sponsor the 2004 VRD conference in name only.
Agreed to transfer up to $15,000 from the RUSA reserve to the RUSA endowment in the 2005 fiscal year.
Approved the name change of MOUSS to the Reference Services Section. The name change is on the 2004 ballot for membership approval.

RUSA selects Spectrum Scholar for internship

RUSA has selected Vynarack Xaykao, a 2003 Spectrum scholar attending the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin, as the 2004 RUSA Intern. As the RUSA Intern, Xaykao will work for a year and a half with the RUSA vice-president/president-elect, Gwen Arthur, library director, Clark University. Xaykao will receive $3,000 to support travel expenses to attend the American Library Association's Midwinter and Annual Conferences.

Xaykao has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and psychology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She currently works in the Digital Library Services Division of the University of Texas at Austin General Libraries. Previously she was a reference assistant/lead Web designer at the University of Texas at San Antonio Library.

"I would like to work with RUSA because I support its goal of providing information to everyone," Xaykao stated. "Lowering the barriers to information is one of the most important responsibilities of being a librarian."

RUSA selects one Spectrum scholar each year to receive the $3,000 travel grant and work with the RUSA vice-president. The ALA Spectrum Initiative provides $5,000 scholarships to students from the following underrepresented groups: African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino and Native American. More information about the Spectrum Initiative is available at www.ala.org/spectrum.

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RUSA Update is compiled and edited by Suzanne Sweeney, Texas Woman's University Library, E-mail: ssweeney @ twu.edu

For questions concerning this site, contact Donavan Vicha,
RUSA Web Program Officer: dvicha @ ala.org

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is a division of the American Library Association.