LIBE 467- Blog post 1: Foundation of Reference Services

 Foundation of Reference Services

Thinking over the modules that I have completed thus far in the course LIBE 467- Information services, I have many new learnings that I’ve been reflecting on. To start with, we looked at definitions, and I was surprised to hear mention of hard copy reference materials, such as gazetteers, almanacs, and yearbooks. I hadn’t seen any of these resources in school libraries, and didn’t even know what a gazetteer was! Turns out it’s like a “geographical dictionary for finding lists of cities, mountains, rivers, and populations.” (Rielding, 2019).

  

https://www.nypl.org/collections/nypl-recommendations/guides/gazetteers

This made me reflect on the kinds of reference materials that would be most effective, and most used, in a school learning commons. The ongoing debate about online materials vrs. print made me consider that items like gazetteers, almanacs, and periodicals might be easier to find and more likely to be used online. However, there is definitely still a place for print reference materials in the learning commons. There is so much information online that part of the information literacy skills students need to learn involves how to discern what information is useful, how to determine if it’s from a good source, and how to apply it. Print materials help a student focus in more deeply on a topic from a reliable and trusted source, as it wouldn’t be in the library otherwise.

To support the acquisition of information literacy skills in students, we considered different research models that teachers and teacher-librarians could use to scaffold and facilitate the research process. One of the models I preferred was the “Points of Inquiry” model put forward by BCTLA.

https://bctla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-points-of-inquiry.pdf

I found this one to be in student-friendly language, with stages that focus on making connections, investigating, and reflecting to promote the development of information literacy skills. A research model I also really liked was found by my fellow classmate, Keri, from the Ontario School Library Association’s document, “Together for Learning”. This document has clear scaffolding with three different tasks at each of the four stages. The only thing lacking in this model was a stage for reflection which is important in helping student synthesize their learnings and provide future wonderings.

http://accessola2.com/data/6/rec_docs/677_OLATogetherforLearning.pdf

We also talked about how to evaluate reference materials, both print and online. I think one big take away here was to look at how the reference materials would best be able to support the school population using the learning commons. Riedling lists the evaluation process as the following categories, “Content Scope, Accuracy, Authority and Bias, Arrangement and Presentation, Relation to Similar Works, Timeliness and Permanence, and Cost”, (pg. 23-24). I also appreciated that Riedling mentions the importance of meeting curriculum needs, finding Canadian content, and collaborating with teachers about what materials would be useful. The online reference material, such as a database like EBSCO, is important for students and their parents as they can access it home as well as within the school, and it can be used by many at once, as opposed to a print resource. Print reference materials must stay at the learning commons and there is a limited number of items available.

The course material thus far has made me reflect on the best way to support students, teachers, and parents of a specific school, and how important it is to be aware of the school demographic and its specific needs. The standards for the size of the learning commons collection, and type of resources for the collection, as listed in “Achievement Information Literacy” (2003), would be difficult for most schools to attain a rating of “Exemplary” in. Most schools struggle to gain the “Acceptable level” due to budget constraints. The funding issue is related to perceived value of the learning commons and puts the teacher-librarian in the position of having to constantly advocate for and promote the services and supports of the learning commons, in addition to other aspects of their role such as co-teaching, co-planning, and supporting teachers and students in the development of information literacy.

 

Works Cited:

The Points of Inquiry. BC Teacher-Librarians' Association. (2018, October 23). Retrieved January 16, 2022, from https://bctla.ca/resources/point-of-inquiry/ (Links to an external site.).

Riedling, A. M., & Houston, C. (2019). Reference skills for the school librarian: Tools and tips. Libraries Unlimited.

Ontario School Library Association. (2010). Together for learning: School libraries and the emergence of the learning commons. Ontario Library Association.

 

Canadian Association for School Libraries (CASL) 2003. Achieving Information Literacy Standards for School Library Programs in Canada. Retrieved from http://accessola2.com/SLIC-Site/slic/ail110217.pdf