This document discusses ways that librarians can provide creative reference services beyond just answering questions. It suggests that librarians meet users where they are, both physically outside the library and online, in order to better serve community information needs. Examples provided include contributing to community discussions on sites like Facebook, local news sites and blogs. The goal is for librarians to find where their patrons spend time online and identify opportunities to participate and provide helpful information.

1. Creativity in Reference Service
Provision: Beyond Answering
Questions
Jennifer Lau-Bond

2. The user is not
“remote.” You, the
librarian, are remote,
and it is your job to
close that gap.
-KG Schneider, Free Range
Librarian, 2006
http://freerangelibrarian.com/2006/06/03/the-user-is-not-broken-a-meme-
masquerading-as-a-manifesto/

3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/30976576@N07/2903662286/
Flickr user Musgo Dumio_Momio

4. Bad Predator Good Predator
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24015481@N08/6133071003
Flickr user rwillia532

5. What
questions
AREN’T people
asking you?

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblyberg/3522193099/ Flickr user jblyberg;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsw_risg/2550177142/ Flickr user NSW Reference and
Information Services Group; http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienlibrary/2076057399/ Flickr
user Darien Library

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonylibrarian/2498319970/in/set-72157605096682869
Flickr user anthonylibrarian

8. http://illinoislibrariesmatter.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/librarians-on-the-loose-serving-patrons-beyond-the-
building/?goback=%2Egde_1955592_member_177647890

9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/87542849@N00/5060849395/in/photolist-8Hdbd4-8HdbbB-8Hdb9V-8HgiCW-8HgiEY-8Hdbf2
Flickr user kimberlykv

10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricemaru/4706630240/ Flickr user Rice and D; http://www.flickr.com/photos/notarim/5586060515/ Flickr user notarim;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sararobertson/1083879664/ Flickr user Bonita Sarita; http://www.flickr.com/photos/firebrat/577195416/ Flickr user firexbrat;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joanieofarc/5769828665/ Flickr user laurieofindey; http://www.flickr.com/photos/seretuaccidente/4412333138/ Flickr user
Xurxo Martinez; http://www.flickr.com/photos/opacity/5124090694/ Flickr user opacity; http://www.flickr.com/photos/usag-yongsan/2889582488/ Flickr
user USAGYongsan
Where is your
community when
they are not at the
library, and can
you be there too?

12. Search of #nmsf09 on http://www.twitter.com/

13. http://wiki.answers.com/; http://answers.yahoo.com/; http://quora.com/; http://askville.amazon.com/

14. Search on http://answers.yahoo.com/
POTENTIAL
LIBRARY
PATRONS

15. Where does your
community go
online, and how can
you contribute
there?
Local
Facebook
groups and
pages?
Local news
sites?
Community
message
boards?
Government
pages?
Local
blogs?
Local
entertainment
/leisure sites?Social media
channels of
elected
officials?

16. https://wash.livingvotersguide.org/

17. https://wash.livingvotersguide.org/wash__8223

18. http://www.flickr.com/photos/emkeller/6157732450/
Flickr user emkeller

19. http://www.quickmeme.com/Philosoraptor/

20. Want to talk? Contact me at
jenpresented@gmail.com
Thanks to Mikaela Wolfe and Dr.
Lily Rozaklis for their help planning
this presentation.