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Read it Now: RSS Review from Reference Services Section

Check out the most recent issue of RSS Review, news from RUSA’s Reference Services Section!
Download the PDF of the most recent issue.

In this issue…

  • A new partnership: YARS (Young Adult Reference Services) is a brand new joint committee with YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association).

  • Stay tuned: The RSS Education and Professional Development for Reference Committee is co-sponsoring a webinar on promoting reference products!

  • For today’s reference librarian’s toolkit: The Job and Career Reference Committee is moving forward with a wiki open to interested librarians and a list-serv for librarians interested in Job & Career reference.
  • Members have spoken: Library Services to an Aging Population committee agrees to update Guidelines to reflect current best practices.
  • Se habla español en la biblioteca? Guidelines for Library Services to Spanish-Speaking Library Users may be due for an update.
  • Get involved! See how you can volunteer and make a difference.

RSS Review is the newsletter of the Reference Services Section of Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association. Please send suggestions for future issues to Amy Rustic (aer123@psu.edu), editor.

The largest section of RUSA, RSS represents the interests of frontline librarians, information specialists, and library support staff engaged in all aspects of reference and information service across all types of libraries. Learn more about the section at http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/rss.

RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa.

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How and Why to Volunteer for RUSA

Dear RUSA Members,

I invite you to volunteer for one of RUSA’s and its sections’ committees.

If you are already a committee volunteer, thank you for your service: you are so much appreciated!  Because of your contributions, our division and sections accomplish much. RUSA, through its volunteers, has provided:

This is just a small sampling of what our volunteers plan and take part in, and what makes RUSA a terrific place for opportunities for service, your professional growth, and networking with colleagues.

If you are not yet a member of any of our committees, please join. All current members may volunteer here: http://www.ala.org/cfapps/committee/volunteerform (you will be asked to login using your ALA login).

Second, write to the vice-chair of the section who will appoint the committees for 2014.  Tell him or her about your experience and why you can be of help to these groups.  Contact them at:

Andy Spackman
andy_spackman@byu.edu   
RUSA BRASS Vice-Chair (Business Reference and Services Section)

Asia E. Gross 
agross@stchlibrary.org
RUSA CODES Vice-Chair (Collection Development and Evaluation Section)

Michelle M. Baildon   
baildon@mit.edu        
RUSA History Vice-Chair (History Section)

Samuel Rutherford Stormont
srstormont@widener.edu      
RUSA MARS Vice-Chair (MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference Section)

Ann K. G. Brown
agbrown@email.gwu.edu
RUSA RSS Vice-Chair (Reference Services Section)

Nora E. Dethloff
ndethloff@uh.edu
RUSA STARS Vice-Chair (Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section)

In addition, please feel free to write to M. Kathleen Kern (katkern@illinois.edu), our current RUSA Vice President who is appointing to RUSA committees for her presidential term in 2014. 

A quick note to potential book lover volunteers: many members are interested in serving on the Notable Books Council, where three of the committee members for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction come from. The number of volunteers far outnumbers the slots for members on this committee. Don’t forget that we have many other committees for book lovers that are looking for members, too! Check out our Listen List, the Reading List, the Sophie Brody award, and all the others on our committee roster page. All provide excellent experience in book reviewing.

Thank you again to all our current, past and future volunteers – you are truly what makes RUSA such a wonderful place to be!

Best Wishes,

Susan Hornung

RUSA Executive Director

shornung@ala.org

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New RUSA Standards and Guidelines Released

New standards and guidelines were recently approved by the RUSA board. They are:

Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services

Guidelines for Liaison Work in Managing Collections and Services

Guidelines for the Preparation of a Bibliography

All RUSA standards and guidelines may be found here.

Please feel free to use and distribute them.

A heartfelt thank you to all those committee members who worked on developing and revising these guidelines – much time and energy went into this from some very dedicated member volunteers. 

Best Wishes,

 Susan Hornung

Executive Director, ASCLA/RUSA

shornung@ala.org

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RUSA Approves New Definition of Reference

At the January 14, 2008, meeting of the RUSA Board, a new definition of reference was approved. It was based on solicited input received on the RUSA Blog as of 12/8/07. Thank you to all those who gave input, as well as all those who worked hard to come up with a definition that could be supported by so many.

Lisa R. Horowitz
Chair, Reference Services Section (2007-2008)

Definition of Reference
Approved by RUSA Board, 1-14-08

Submitted
by subgroup of RSS Executive Committee



Reference Transactions are information consultations in which
library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources
to help others to meet particular information needs. Reference transactions do
not include formal instruction or exchanges that provide assistance with
locations, schedules, equipment, supplies, or policy statements.

Reference Work includes reference transactions and other
activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information
or research resources, tools, and services.

(The following bullets clarify what is meant
by terms within the Reference Work definition.)

·        
Creation and management of information
resources includes the
development and maintenance of research collections, research guides, catalogs,
databases, web sites, search engines, etc., that patrons can use independently,
in-house or remotely, to satisfy their information needs.

·        
Assessment activities include the measurement and evaluation of reference work,
resources, and services.