Innovating Where It Matters Most: How Reference Service Can Turn The Library Into A Global Information Hub

Abstract

If there is any place that makes the library a true global hub of information, it is the reference desk or reference section, for this is the heart of librarianship, and it is here that innovative ideas need to be incorporated in order to fulfill this purpose. This paper examines the various innovations in reference service such as consortia and virtual reference service. It briefly describes these new services along with the problems and solutions relating to them. It concludes that while it is important to maintain traditional reference practices, it is also imperative to keep up with the times and embrace new ideas in order to make the library the global hub of information.