Teaching Helping Relationship Concepts in the Reference Process

Abstract

REFERENCE LIBRARIANS have always been concerned with improving communication patterns between themselves and their clients and in recent years, we have seen increasing attention paid to interpersonal communications and their to effective services in libraries of all types. Writers such as Helen Gothberg,1 P. R. Penland,2 and T. P. Peck 8 have all addressed themselves to some aspects of communication problems in library work situations. Likewise, several videotape and film programs have been developed to help educate librarians to communication problems.4* 5 Although almost all writers who have addressed themselves to communication skills in libraries have dealt with some aspects of the relationship, the whole concept of teaching and applying skills to library work has rarely been approached outside of a limited number of the writers. The purpose of this paper is to further such dialogue by discussing the Helping Relationship concept and to relate it to the reference process in libraries and to the problems of teaching the concept to both preand in-service librarians. When viewed by a great many librarians from the perspective of their training and experience, the term helping relationship appears simple and easily definable. But it is not. The

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