The Value of Library Reference : You Decide

 

It’s 8:30pm on a Tuesday evening. Student contacts Reference Desk saying he/she is looking for 'research' articles on effects of poverty on success in education. Instructor wants list of articles from student by class tomorrow.

Student Worker Solution:

1. Sends link to Research Guide for Education
2. Says 'good evening'.

Reference Librarian Solution:

1. Explains that there are several databases -- some focused on education, some focused on social science
2. Steps through how to access these databases by pointing to library’s home page and link to 'Research Guides' -- where databases are arranged by subject
3. In background does quickie search through standard databases, sizing up the lay of the land and then recommends to student strategies/pathways that appear most promising
4. And oh yeah: Explains how to identify ‘research’ articles through a number of characteristics
5. Says ‘good evening’.

Observation : Both responses did in fact answer the student’s question. So what’s the diff?