Reference:
The word
reference comes from the word refer which means to turn to for aid or
information.
The part of
library administration which deals with the assistance given to readers in
their use of resources of library.
Reference
service is the process of establishing contact between reader and his document
in a personal way. His documents mean every one of the precise document needed
by him at the moment.
Functions of
Reference Service:
Two main
functions of Reference:
·
Indirect Functions
·
Direct Functions
The six
important functions of Reference Service:
·
Guidance Function
·
Information Function
·
Appraisal Function
·
Supervision Function
·
Bibliographic Function
·
Instruction Function
·
Supervision Function:
·
The proper organization of facilities
·
Selection of materials
·
Direction of personnel
·
Study of clientele
The proper organization of facilities:
An information desk, a telephone, inters library
room service, etc.
Shelf-list, catalogue cards, i-e, author card,
subject card, translator card, series card and these should be arranged in
classified order.
Selection of materials:
Dictionaries, encyclopedia, year book, graphic
dictionaries, atlases, handbooks, manuals, indexes, bibliography, government
publications and audio-visual sources
Direction of personnel:
These are the heart of a reference collection and
major subject of this text-book. A typical reference collection is therefore as
improbable as a typical reference room.
Study of clientele:
Reference is to library service what intelligence is to the military..
