A Reference for That: Personal Service in an Impersonal World

Abstract

One aspect of library service—and especially reference service—that often gets overlooked is its personal nature. Reference service is designed to provide one-on-one support to members of the community that the library serves. Whether in person, online, or over the phone, the library deals with each request independently. Assistance is designed to meet the needs of each person at their time and place of need, providing information and resources at a level that they will understand. This type of service is rare in today’s world.