Culture and Competencies: A Multi-Country Examination of Reference Services Competencies

Abstract

Reference librarians have the opportunity to interact with patrons and colleagues of many different backgrounds, languages, and cultures as a result of our in-creasingly interconnected and peripatetic world. In order to provide the best possible service to these varied com-munities, reference librarians should understand some of the culture differences that exist across countries, and in particular, the differences in the way that reference ser-vices are conceived and delivered in different countries. This study explores some of these differences in reference services by surveying current practitioners in thirteen countries to find out which competencies they believe are most important for academic reference librarians right now, and in the near future. The results of this study high-light some important commonalities and differences, and could help reference librarians to manage and meet the expectations of their international patrons, and perhaps help them to prepare for an international job experience of their own. Academic reference librarians may be inter-ested to see the extent to which their counterparts in other countries face similar challenges and expectations with regard to delivering reference services. Teaching faculty in library science programs will be interested to understand reference competencies and expectations in other coun-tries, especially as they teach greater numbers of interna-tional students or consider collaborating with internation-al colleagues. In addition, an international understanding is important in developing students who can compete in a global job market.