Murphy, Sarah Anne. The Librarian as Information Consultant: Transforming Reference for the Information Age. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011. ISBN 978-0-8389-1086-3 025.52 Murph Library users evolving information needs and their choice of search methods have changed reference work profoundly. Today’s reference librarian must work in a whole new way not only service-focused and businesslike, but even entrepreneurial. Murphy innovatively rethinks the philosophy behind currentlibrary reference services in this thought-provoking book, which: · Rebrands reference librarianship on the model of a consulting business, providing a renewed vision of the reference desk by treating patrons as clients · Spells out the importance of the patron s voice, and details methods for building and maintaining relationships with patrons · Identifies the reference librarian s competitive advantage over Web search engines and shows how to capitalize on it Murphy adapts existing business practices and programs to the context of the library, allowingfrontline staff and administrators in any type of reference department to monitor and continuouslyimprove their library’s services.
