Reference Is a Behavior Sequence
Apply the RUSA reference behavior sequence to improve one patron-help interaction.
The sequence: welcome, clarify, search, confirm. A reference interview is not a quiz where staff prove expertise. It is a guided discovery process. Many patrons arrive with partial language for their need, and the staff member's behaviors determine whether the real need surfaces. What Good Looks Like Approachability is visible before the first question. Interest shows through eye contact, tone, and not treating the question as an interruption. Inquiry uses open questions before narrow ones. Searching is transparent enough that the patron can learn the path. Follow-up asks whether the answer fits, not just whether staff found something. The Common…
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