Examining the Preparation For Reference-Based Instruction Among Academic Librarians

In the course of a reference transaction, academic librarians are expected to help patrons both find the information they are seeking while educating the patron about the process of finding, evaluating, and using information. For many academic librarians, however, the pre-service preparation for these teaching expectations is woefully limited. This study examines how the education and training of academic librarians prepares them for the teaching expectations of reference work. The professional experiences of librarians at a research university are considered in the context of the current curricular focus of American Library Association-accredited degree-granting institutions, as well as of the training curriculum provided at the institution where they are currently employed. The results of this study indicate that while academic librarians are keenly aware of the instructional expectations inherent in their reference work, they are poorly prepared to meet these expectations by both their pre-service education and on-the-job training. The results of this study have implications for both library and information science educators and for the libraries that hire new librarians.