When to Refer
There will be some situations that you are not equipped to answer. These questions or situations often require a greater level of expertise and may need a librarian's perspective to fully address:
- A student asks for help finding peer-reviewed articles on the ethical implications of gene editing in bioethics
- Why Refer?: The topic spans biology, ethics, and law—requiring subject expertise and advanced database searching skills that a librarian is trained for.
- A student says, “I have no idea what to write about for my psychology paper. Can you help me come up with a topic?”
- Why Refer?: This involves brainstorming, narrowing a topic, and connecting it to academic resources—a key part of the librarian’s role in information literacy.
- A student has already tried a few search terms in Academic Search Complete but can’t find any relevant sources and is getting frustrated.
- Why Refer?: Librarians can teach advanced search strategies, help identify better databases, and offer troubleshooting support.
- A student asks, “How do I cite an interview I conducted myself in APA?”
- Why Refer?: Complex citation scenarios (especially with unusual source types or multiple formats) should be handled by librarians who are familiar with citation manuals and academic policies.
- A student needs historical census data or primary documents from the Civil Rights Movement.
- Why Refer?: Locating primary sources or datasets often requires specialized knowledge and familiarity with archival or government resources.
- A student wants to know how to use a specialized tool to manage their sources and citations.
- Why Refer?: Librarians often provide instruction in citation management tools and research software.
- A student is asking lots of layered questions about how to evaluate sources for a literature review and getting into the nuances of bias and authority.
- Why Refer?: If you are unsure about the best advice to give—or if the question keeps growing in complexity—it’s time to refer.
When you encounter questions that make you go hmm. . . or your first instinct is to go to Google to find out what the patron is talking about, stop and contact the on call librarian.
Other things to remember when referring reference questions. . . .
- Do NOT send someone away without help or a referral.
- If the designated librarian is not available, provide the patron with that librarian's business card or name and contact information.