Reference 2.0: Ain't What It Used to Be . . . and It Never Will Again

Lucy says: my thoughts on the future of reference were rearranged today by Jon Janes, Associate Dean, iSchool, University of Washington. In a vastly witty presentation--the laugh! you have to hear his laugh--he quickly summarized the history of reference and moved rapidly into what it's become and where it's going. “We need to explore our areas of strength, and the niches where what we do can be responsive," he says. “Provide services to the kind of people you can provide high-quality services to." In other words, be there all the way for people who need deep searching, authentication of sources, and the other things we're good at. For people who call for a phone number, answer the question and move them on; they don't need a 45-minute reference interview, and it's only a matter of time until most everyone figures out how to find that information for themselves. He also says we need to be "somewhere and everywhere" for our customers. Somewhere, as in a place for storytime, a meeting place, a place with comfy chairs. Everywhere, as in Facebook, Second Life, MySpace. Commenting on Lee Rainie's statement that librarians still do things better, and should be confident in their abilities, Janes says yes, we should be confident--but not complacent. We need to be more and better, and we need to be out there. I'm pumped!