Librarians the Information Specialists; What is a Reference Collection and How to Build Them

Role of a Teacher Librarian         
    The role of a teacher librarian is a big one. They must connect with colleagues and students to curate an up to date and relevant selection of references, they must guide students through the inquiry process to help them find proper resources and ultimately help them become critical researchers, they must also also working cooperatively and collaboratively with classroom teachers in planning units and providing resources when needed as well as constantly researching resources while weeding older irrelevant material and budgeting to add new resources into their libraries. All this can only be done with proper knowledge of the library media collection, effective communication skills as well as a strong capability to evaluate resources. 

What is a reference source? 
    Riedling states that a reference source "can be defined as materials, from book to periodical to photograph, designed to be consulted for definite items of information rather than to be examined consecutively." (18) Thus a reference collection is the section of the library that holds all these various reference sources.

What is included in a reference collection: 
- Almanacs
- Atlases
- Bibliographies
- Biographies
- Chronologies
- Dictionaries
- Digests
- Directories
- Encyclopedias
- Gazetteers
- Handbooks
- Indexes
- Pictorial Works
- Statistical Works
- Yearbooks 

The above list only encompass "some of the most commonly collected types of reference books"(Alderman) and even this small list makes me feel overwhelmed to say the least. A number of the references are new to me as I have never seen them in person or at my own school library. I have located a list that includes further descriptions of each at the following link: DigitalCommons 

The Reference Process
     Rielding states The three elements necessary for the reference process are the information/direction, the student, and the answer. (14) Students step into the library with the goal of finding an answer to their question. As a teacher librarian it is our role to be a guide for the students as they enter with their unique questions and find their way to an answer, but keep in mind that each process can also be unique. Riedling states that "The reference process may be simply explained as a problem-solving process, with the solution of the student’s problem being the goal." (4) Thus the reference process is merely an outline the follow picture is the process as Riedling described it. 

     I have noticed that in the younger grades fictional writing and reading is often valued more, stories are read to the classes daily and then students are encouraged to create, write and play out their own fictional stories. Yet as students get older less emphasis is placed on this imaginative type of writing and more in informational writing and reading. I have also noticed that students will often times struggle to adapt to this new style of writing. In my own classroom I approach language through a functional linguistics point of view, this is to say we try to study language by understanding both the processes and structures. I have students analyze different kinds of texts and we pick them apart to notice how the structure is different. For example a narrative can not be written in the same way as an argumentative essay. 

The Basics of Functional Linguistics

The overall goal of the reference process is informational literacy. However informational literacy can not be utilized without proper research and students must be taught how to do this. When proper research skills are taught so is creative and critical thinking. 

 In my own classroom I have my students work through the Inquiry Model, through this model students are taught how to become more effective and critical users of information. The British Columbia Teacher-Librarian's Association states " What students learn to do with information is more important than the specifics of the information itself."(3) Riedling also references other research models such as: Information Search Process, Guided Inquiry, Big6/Super3, Research Process. "In general, each of these models guides students through the process of defining a problem, locating and evaluating resources, and forming conclusions." (Riedling, 10) 

Adding Reference Resources to your Library

    Numerous funding issues coupled with the high cost of reference materials can make it difficult to maintain an entirely up to date. Not to mention how that the reference section has to be weeded for out of date materials. In my opinion this is why electronic resources are becoming more popular because the information can be kept up to date and it often requires a yearly subscription. Although I had no idea until recently that my in school library even had access to some online resources, one of my goals for this year is to become more familiar with our electronic reference resources. Overall when selecting a resource we need to make sure that the content is relative to our school demographic and make sure that it is coming from an unbiased accurate source. However each reference resource had different considerations to help evaluate whether the resource should be recommended as a new addition to the libraries collection or not. One thing I noticed that in Riedling's process rarely was cost listed as one of the main determination factors. 

Consideration in the Evaluation Process can Include:

1. Content Scope: "...basic breadth and depth question of what is covered and in what details." (page 23).
2. Accuracy, Authority and Bias: "... education and experience of the authors, editors, and contributors, as well as the reputation of the publisher ... Objectivity and fairness of a source."(pages 23).
3. Arrangement and Presentation: "... a particular sequence such as alphabetical, chronological, or classified...flexibility of the reference sources... Physical makeup, binding, illustrations, and layout..." (page 24).
4. Relation to Similar Works: "...assessing the potential value of the new resources to the collection. What will this resource add to the current collection?" (page 24).
5. Timeliness and Permanence: "Printed resources are often considered to be out of date before they reach the student. All sources should be checked for currency." As well, be aware of the probable lifespan of a resource in order to determine its value to the collection (page 23-24).
6. Cost: "...determine if the price is appropriate in relation to the needs of the students, as well as anticipated frequency and length of use."(page 24).
   

I really enjoyed looking at the learning commons from both Prince of Wales Secondary and Charles Best. I enjoyed clicking through the articles about arguments, media and resources. I also noticed that a lot more resources and websites were shared with the students, this can really help them when they are trying to narrow in on their search. 

The following table is from Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada (28). After reflection on my own classroom library I think it is difficult to reach the fiction to nonfiction ratio stated below. Younger students are drawn to read for pleasure this often leans towards fiction. In my library the fiction heavily out ways the nonfiction. Nonfiction material also go out of date relatively faster then fiction material. Riedling stated that if something was older than 5 years it needed to be replaced this means a lot of the budget would be used on getting new nonfiction resources. It almost begs to question if nonfiction print sources are worth the monetary investment or could would it be beneficial to have access to more electronic media. 

References

Alderman, Jim. “What Is a Reference Collection?” Digital Commons, University of Northern Florida, Mar. 2014, digitalcommons.unf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi article=1021&context=bliss#:~:text=A%20library's%20Reference%20Collection%20is,in%20any%20field%20of%20research.

Asselin, M., Branch, J., & Oberg, D., (Eds). Achieving information literacy: Standards for school library programs in Canada. Ottawa, ON: Canadian School Library Association &        The Associatin for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada. 

BCTLA, 2011. The Points of inquiry: A Framework for information literacy and the 21st century learner. https://bctla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/the-points-of-inquiry.pdf

Riedling, A. & Houston, C. (2019). Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips (4th ed.) [eBook edition]. Libraries Unlimited.