How do you adapt reference interviews for different library users?

1 User characteristics

When conducting a reference interview, it is important to consider the user's characteristics, such as their age, education, language, culture, and prior knowledge. These factors can influence how the user communicates, what they are looking for, and how they evaluate information. For instance, a young student may need more guidance and encouragement than an experienced researcher, a non-native speaker may need more clarification and repetition than a fluent speaker, and a user from a different cultural background may have different norms and expectations than a user from your own culture. To tailor your reference interview to these user characteristics, you should use language and terminology that matches their level of understanding and avoids jargon or acronyms. Furthermore, ask open-ended questions that invite the user to explain their information need and actively listen to their answers. Additionally, show respect by providing feedback and paraphrasing to confirm your understanding. Finally, be sensitive and respectful of the user's cultural values and beliefs and avoid making assumptions or judgments based on your own perspective.

2 User preferences

When conducting a reference interview, it's important to consider the user's preferences, such as their preferred format, source, and mode of information delivery. These preferences can significantly influence how they access, use, and evaluate information. For instance, a user who prefers books might not be familiar with online databases, a user who prefers scholarly articles may not trust websites or blogs, and a user who prefers email may not be comfortable with verbal communication. To accommodate these user preferences, you should ask the user about their preferences and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Additionally, provide them with a range of resources that suit their needs and demonstrate how to use them effectively. Finally, follow up with the user in their preferred mode of communication and provide additional support or feedback if needed.

3 User situations

When conducting a reference interview, it is important to consider the user's situation, such as their purpose, urgency, and context of information seeking. These factors can influence how the user defines, frames, and approaches their information problem. For example, a user who is writing an academic paper may have different needs than one planning a trip. Similarly, a user working on a group project may have different criteria than someone working alone. Additionally, a user facing a personal or professional challenge may have different emotional and motivational states than one pursuing a personal interest. To adapt your reference interview to these user situations, you should ask the user about their purpose, urgency, and context of information seeking and help them clarify and refine their information problem and goal. Additionally, provide resources that match their situation and criteria to help them evaluate and select the most relevant and reliable ones. Furthermore, encourage the user to reflect on their information seeking process and outcome to help them overcome any difficulties or barriers they may encounter. By adapting your reference interview to different user characteristics, preferences, and situations you can improve communication with users, understand their information needs better, and increase effectiveness as a library staff. It is important to remember that each user is unique and dynamic; therefore your reference interview should be flexible and responsive to their changing needs and expectations.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?