Traces the development of the theory of reference and information service from its origins to the present day. Although libraries began to offer reference and information services in the late nineteenth century, they were not based on any theoretical concepts. The first real step in theory formulation was in 1930 when Wyer in the United States examined the various attitudes librarians held on assistance to readers. Between 1930 and the present day, although many developments have taken place, the theory of the subject remains comparatively uninvestigated, especially in Britain, and distinctly inadequate. In the past few years, however, the subject has been increasingly written about, and research in other disciplines applied to it. With the object of encouraging systematic and comprehensive research into the theory of reference and information service, a base plan for such research is outlined. It covers the subject's terminology, its nature and purpose, its scope and branches, and its relationships with other subjects.
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References
1.
Emery, R.Steps in reference theory. Libr. Ass. Rec., 72 (3) March 1970, 88-90, 96. There has been a more recent contribution in a British journal on the subject of reference theory, but by a Canadian: McFadyen, D. The psychology of enquiry. J. Librarianship, 7 (1) January 1975, 2-11.
2.
The following three are all worth reading: Rothstein, S.Reference service: the new dimension in librarianship, Coll. Res. Libr., 22 (1) January 1961, II-18; Vavrek, B.F.A theory of reference service , Coll. Res. Libr., 29 (6) November 1968, 508-510; Wynar, B.S.Reference theory: situation hopeless but not impossible. Coll. Res. Libr., 28 (5) September 1967 , 337-342.
3.
Rahman, A.Philosophy of reference service. Ann. Libr. Sci., 8 (4) December 1961, 150-156.
4.
Vavrek, B.F.Communications and the reference interface. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1971. 6-7.
5.
Whittaker, K.A.The development of reference and information services in British public libraries, 1850-1940. M.A. thesis, Sheffield University , 1975.
6.
The development of the subject up to I900 is treated from the American angle in: Rothstein, S.The development of the concept of reference service in American libraries, I850-I900. Libr. Q., 23 (1) January 1953, I-15.
7.
Green, S.S.Personal relations between librarians and readers. Libr. J. , I (2-3) October 1876, 74-81.
8.
The outstanding published history is: Rothstein , S.The development of reference services through academic traditions, public library practice and special librarianship. Chicago, Association of College and Reference Libraries, 1955.
9.
This is true of the United States as well as of Britain.
10.
The Examiner, No. 3, 637, 13 October 1877, 1289.
11.
Leeds Public Libraries. Thirtieth annual report, 1889/90 , 13.
12.
Slugg, J.T.Letter to the Manchester Guardian, 3 October 1884.
13.
Burgess, L.A.Library ideals of yesterday and today. Libr. Wld., 29, 1926/7 , 188.
14.
Warner, J.First years of reference work. Libr. Assistant, 5, 1905/7, 84-85.
15.
Wyer, J.T.Reference work: a textbook for students of library work and librarians . American Library Association, 1930.
16.
Ibid., 6-7.
17.
Cowley, J.D.Use of reference material. Grafton, 1937. II-12.
18.
Foskett, D.J.Assistance to readers in lending libraries . J. Clarke, 1952.
19.
Ranganathan, S.R., and Sundaram , C.Reference service and bibliography. MadrasLibrary Association , 1940/I. 2V.
20.
Ranganathan, S.R.Five laws of library science. Madras Library Association, 1931.
21.
Ranganathan, S.R.Reference service through four centuries . Libr. Her., 9 (2-3) July-October 1966 , 87.
22.
Ranganathan, S.R., and Sundaram , C., op. cit., 25.
23.
Ranganathan, S.R.Reference service. 2nd ed. Asia Publishing House, 1961.
24.
Rahman, A., op. cit
25.
Butler, P., ed. The reference function of the library: papers presented before the library institute at the University of Chicago, 29th June-10th July 1942. University of Chicago Press, 1943.
26.
26 Ibid., II.
27.
Foskett, D.J., op. cit
28.
Benge, R.C.Bibliography and the provision of books. Association of Assistant Librarians, 1963.
29.
Ibid., 48.
30.
Ibid., 5.
31.
Rees, A.M.Broadening the spectrum. In: Linderman, W. B., ed. The present state and future prospects of reference/infosmation service: proceedings of the Conference held at the School of Library Science, Columbia University, 30th Afarch-1st April 1966. American Library Association, 1967.
32.
Ibid., 58.
33.
Vavrek, B.F.A theory of reference service. Coll. Res. Libr., 29 (6) November 1968 , 508-10.
34.
Ibid., 5I0.
35.
Schiller, A.R.Reference service: instruction or information . Libr. Q., 35 (1) January 1965, 52-60.
36.
Rothstein, S.Reference service: the new dimension in librarianship . Coll. Res. Libr., 22 (1) January 1961, 12.
37.
Wynar, B.S., op. cit.
38.
Ibid., 340.
39.
Neill, S.D.Problem solving and the reference process. RQ, 14 (4) Summer 1975, 310-315.
40.
The main reason for this increase, two numbers of RQ (Spring I974 and Summer I975) largely devoted to the subject of reference theory.
41.
Emery, R., op. cit.
42.
Pugh, A.G.Toward a science of reference work: basic concepts. RQ, 14 (4) Summer 1075, 293-299.
43.
Vavrek, B.F.Communications and the reference interface . Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, 1971.
44.
Katz, W.A.Introduction to reference work, 2nd ed. McGraw Hill, 1974, v. 2, 58-59.
45.
Also in need of more guidance are those who design and evaluate systems of reference and information service.
46.
Emery, R., op. cit., 89.
47.
Vickery, B.C.On retrieval system theory, 2nd ed. Butterworth, 1965, 180.
48.
In fact, in addition to the three basic elements, there is a subsidiary element involved, which element may be termed Environment. This subsidiary element concerns the setting in which the basic elements meet. A well designed, equipped, and organized library is obviously the kind of environment that encourages efficient information flow.
49.
Pugh, A. G., op. cit., 297.
50.
Ibid.
51.
Of course, much has been written on topics like Library Users and Library Instruction, but little from a real reference and information service viewpoint. Worthy of mention, however, are: Foskett, D.J.User psychology . In: Lubbock, G., ed. International conference on training for information work, I5-I9 November 1971. F.I.D., 1972 ; and, Cooper, N.P.Library instruction at a university-based information center: the informative interview. RQ, 15 (3) Spring 1976, 233-240.
52.
On the enquiry work area, outstanding is Vavrek, B.F.Communications and the reference interface . Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pittsburgh , 1971. An introduction to the work done is to be found in Katz, W.A.Introduction to reference work, 2nd ed. McGraw Hill, 1974, v. 2.
53.
Indicative of the material available are the following three titles: Gray, J., and Perry, B.Scientific information. OUP, 1975 ; McGarry, K.Knowledge, communication and librarians. Bingley, 1975; Price, D. J. de S.Little science, big science. Columbia University Press, 1963.
54.
For example, reference service is equated with enquiry work in: Foskett, D.J.Information service in libraries, 2nd ed. Crosby Lockwood, 1967.
55.
For instance in: Harrod, L.M.The librarian's glossary, 3rd ed. Deutsch, 1971, 330. The definition of it begins: "A service provided by, or for, a special library which draws attention to information possessed in the library or information department in anticipation of demand "
56.
Szentmihályi, J., and Szepesváry, T.Interdisciplinary implications. In: International Federation for Documentation. Proceedings of the international seminar on education in information science, I4-I6 September 1972. Hungarian Technical Library and Documentation Centre , 1974.
