What is reference? Why is it important?

Libraries play many roles in the community. They promote reading, provide entertainment and readers' advisory services, and make materials available for doing homework and other research. One of a library's most valuable contributions to its community is the reference and information service it provides.

The goal of reference work is to meet people's information needs. How?

• By finding out what information people need; and,
• By using library resources to provide that information.

The library must make people feel welcome and at ease using the library, and meet their information needs accurately and in a timely manner. In this way, the library will fulfill its mission.

In any library, the public service staff are the library workers who talk to the patrons, discover their information needs, and follow up to make sure their needs are met. No one else has the same influence on the daily success of the library in meeting the information needs of your patrons.

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