Reference and Bibliographic Services in Foreign National Libraries (Organizational Aspect)

Abstract

Digitalization is changing the environment in which libraries operate. The processes of production, storage, dissemination and use of information are undergoing significant changes. Reference and bibliographic service in the operational mode “request — response” is the most sensitive to the ongoing transformations. The problem of developing an optimal functional and organisational model of reference and bibliographic service is of particular relevance. The article is devoted to the review and analysis of the organisation of reference and bibliographic services in ten national libraries of the world on the basis of monitoring of official sites. The author defines the main forms of reference and bibliographic services, communication channels and ways of interaction of reference and bibliographic services with users. Special attention is paid to the currently dominant multilevel service model and its modifications. The problem of the crisis of reference bureau — stationary point of reference and bibliographic service is considered as a private one. The main tendencies of modernization of reference and bibliographic service in the digital age are revealed. The key drivers of change, in the author’s opinion, are the desire to link the library more closely to institutional strategy and to provide enhanced research support to those who need it.