Reading Response 8: Janice E. Ruth – “Educating the Reference Archivist”

In a 1988 article entitled “Educating the Reference Archivist,” Janice E. Ruth discusses the preparation and training recommended for preparing an archivist the perform reference duties.  In conducting a literature review, Ruth concludes that discussion of the reference process has frequently been overlooked in archival literature.  In analyzing literature on the topic that does exist, Ruth discusses previous emphasis on the importance of creating thorough finding aids to aid reference archivists as well as the need to not overestimate the patron’s previous experience with and knowledge of archival sources.

In discussing the lack of necessary and appropriate user studies, Ruth concludes that an understanding of patron types and patron information needs is important for both the profession and for individual repositories.  User studies, the article explains, can better allow reference archivists avoid making inaccurate assumptions about the patron’s knowledge of archival resources.  Ruth also argues that an examination of communication theory with a focus on interpersonal interaction should be used to compliment archival science literature on the subject of archival reference.  Archivists must learn to ask open rather than closed questions and must demonstrate content-based listening.

I found this article to be particularly insightful as it advocated the need for archivists to study interpersonal communication and incorporate lessons from this field into literature on archives.  While this type of analysis is frequently discusses in library reference, archivists have tended to ignored studying specific aspects of interpersonal communication.  However, like many articles that discuss reference in the archival repository, this article ignores the importance of answering questions by remote users.  When answering this type of question, user education is of less significance, while having the ability to personally identify useful material and craft a response is critical for the archivist.

Janice E. Ruth, “Educating the Reference Archivist,” American Archivist 51 (Summer 1988), 266-276.