Referenstaktiker
högskolebibliotekariers sätt att överbrygga kommunikativa gap
HögskolebibliotekReferensarbeteHögskolebibliotek ? SverigeInformationskompetensProfessionaliseringDocumentationInformationLibrary scienceArchivisticsArkiv- och bibliotekskunskapDokumentationSocial Sciences
The aim of this master thesis is to study how academic librarians can overcome the gap between themselves and the user. The gap, as we see it, is generated by the user's deeper knowledge surrounding her subject in comparison to the librarian. This knowledge gives the user possibilities to handle certain discourses attached to the subject and a knowledge how sub-subjects relate to each other within the main subject. At the same time the user is in need of help to find information within her subject, this need needs to be explained to the librarian as a search expert. The scope of this master thesis is to find how the librarian, tactically, can reach the users need despite lack of subject knowledge. To find out how academic librarians act in situations like this we interviewed seven librarians working at different departments at Lund University. The main findings of our study were nine different reference tactics conducted by the librarians in situations were their subject knowledge was believed to be insufficient. The tactics were labelled as follows: Interview, Dialogue, Routine conduct, Random test, Collaboration, Comeback, Forwarding, Follow up and finally Pedagogic strategic tactic.