Educating Reference Librarians:

A basic reference course for library school students needs to include more than information about specific reference sources. Employers expect graduates to bring flexibility and creativity to the solving of reference questions in a variety of library settings, many of which do not enjoy collections containing the titles the students memorized in class. Graduates also need skills in the evaluation and selection of reference tools, staff, and services; knowledge of the organization and administration of a reference department and how it relates to other departments; and facility in the application of current reference strategies and techniques. A sample course syllabus incorporating these concepts is suggested.