Informationsförmedlaren som kommunikatör
This is a study about the communication interaction in the context of the reference work at some public university-libraries and some private company libraries in Gothenburg and Borås. The primary purpose of the study is to investigate the communication interaction in a library situation. The second purpose is to deepen the knowledge, understanding and to establish what is important in this communication. Focus has been on how the intermediaries communicate and how she or he perceives this communication. The intermediary needs to manage the communication with all the different patrons and different information needs of the patrons. The method used is qualitative interviews about the communication in the reference work, and observations of the interactive communication in a library situation, according to Peter Ingwersens and Irene Wormells cognitive interactive communication model. The results of the study show that in spite of the technical development, the human communication still is important in the meditation of professional information. Technology can seldom replace the human communication, but supports it. The use of modern IT, in an active and well-disposed communication means efficiency and timesaving, independently of time and place, plus quality and value addition.