Working the Reference Desk

Reference Type Journal Article
Year of Publication
1998
Contributors Author: Marcella D. Genz
Journal
Library Trends
Volume
46
Issue
3
Pagination
505-525
Language
Download citation
Region
Library Type
Chronological Period
Abstract
The roles of reference workers have evolved unevenly and are often unclear. This article examines the historical reasons for the reference desk and its workers in order to establish how reference work has been circumscribed, to see how it evolved, and to see if there is a defining perimeter between the tasks and duties of the paraprofessional and those of the professional.