Reconciling Different Approaches to Reference and Information Service Using Q Methodology

Abstract

To make sense of the variety of conflicting conceptualizations of reference and information service (RIS) in the literature, this study uses Q methodology, which involves a card sort and interview, to identify librarians’ espoused conceptualizations. Librarians in South Africa and the United States sorted 35 statements representing the breadth of approaches to RIS. Preliminary data were analyzed to identify prominent conceptualizations based on like sorts. Results will inform theoretical work and professional education for RIS.