Library Guides: Student Employee Reference Resources (PRSH): Home

Reference Interview Questions

Example Questions
Here are some open-ended questions you can ask during a reference interview to help guide the patron to the information they are looking for.

Libraries' Quick Links

Ask a Librarian
Ask a Librarian is our digital chat service where you can ask us... just about anything! We'll help you work through research questions, find materials, and even direct you to other resources if we don't have what you're looking for.
Course Reserves
Course Reserves are materials that are on reserve (by instructor request) for specific courses and available for a limited loan period, usually for 2 hours at a time, to ensure that they're available for as many students as possible.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Interlibrary Loan, often referred to as ILL, can help obtain materials not owned by Purdue Libraries. Visit the ILL website to submit a request or contact them at ill@purdue.edu or (765) 494-2800
Librarians by Subject (Faculty Directory)
List of Libraries faculty by subject/liaison area.
Library Guides (LibGuides)
Research guides developed by Libraries faculty or staff, often tailored to specific courses or subject areas. Browse by Course Guides, Subject Guides, How-To Guides, or Workshop/Event Guides.
Library Hours List
Complete list of hours by library location.
My Library Account
Access your library account to renew materials, view fees/fines, and check request statuses.

Something not right?

If there is something on this guide that needs updating or is incorrect, please email parrlib@purdue.edu.

Introduction

Welcome to the Parrish Library Student Reference Resources guide. This guide can be used to help patrons who ask research based reference questions, as well as a refresher for yourself, on what resources are available.

The Reference Interview Process

Reference is used at the beginning stages of a research journey to...

Check a fact
Gain a basic understanding of an unfamiliar topic
Find a reliable source for further reading/investigation

Use the questions in the flow chart below to help decide which resource or resources would be best for the patron based on the information they're looking for. This process is sometimes referred to as a "reference interview."

Tips for answering reference questions

Ask qualifying questions to figure out what the patron is really looking for. Sometimes patrons come to the iDesk asking one thing, but are actually looking for something else entirely. Asking qualifying questions can help you and the patron determine what information they are hoping to find.
Pull out keywords from what they are saying. If you're not familiar with the subject area, pull out keywords you do know or keywords that you can look up to better understand what they are looking for. Googling these words or phrases can be helpful if you aren't familiar with the subject area.
Don't be afraid to ask them to explain their question, or to restate it in another way. It can often be beneficial to hear the question in a different way. Sometimes, this is all it takes to point the patron in the right direction.

Remember!

When helping patrons at the desk with their reference questions, keep in mind the following:

You're giving patrons a starting place to their research.
Not every question has an exact answer.
Most of the time you'll find pieces of what they are looking for so look for clues, not exact answers.
Don't be afraid to direct them to Ask a Librarian or parrlib@purdue.edu if you're unable to help them find what they are looking for or if they need additional assistance.