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Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China: a web analysis
ARTICLE IN PRESS The International Information & Library Review (2004) 36, 105–110
The International Information & Library Review www.elsevier.com/locate/iilr
Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China: a web analysis Hanrong Wanga,*, Guiling Niub, William J. Hubbardc a
Houston Cole Library, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265, USA Foreign Languages School, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China c Houston Cole Library, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265, USA b
Summary Since the introduction of the Internet and network technology, academic libraries in China have experienced great development and innovation. Some university libraries have been locating electronic resources and services on their websites since the late 1990s. This research presents the current status and the latest development of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China by reviewing these services (including reference librarian availability, user education, online reference and guided reading) found at library websites of the 95 ‘‘Project 211’’ institutions. & 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction Academic libraries in mainland China exist primarily for curriculum support and student and faculty research. As of July 2003, there were 1517 universities located in 29 Chinese provinces (Ministry of Education, 2003). A typical academic library has one or more physical buildings with several reading rooms, study areas, books, periodicals and computers open to the students, faculty and staff more than 40 h a week. Acquisitions, cataloging, serials, circulation and reference are the most important departments in these libraries. Since the introduction of the Internet and network technology, academic libraries in China have experienced great development and innovation. Online public catalogs, electronic journals, ebooks, and e-reference are the typical results of this development. The establishment of the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) and the China Academic Library and Information System *Corresponding author. Tel.: þ 1-256-782-5250; fax: þ 1-256782-5872. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (H. Wang), [email protected] (G. Niu), [email protected] (W.J. Hubbard).
(CALIS) has encouraged this development, making it possible for the universities to share documents and information resources (Yang, Lin, & Zheng, 1998). Meanwhile, some university libraries have been locating electronic resources and services on their websites since the late 1990s. All these factors have enhanced the ability to conduct research.
Literature review Reference and information services exist in libraries because some means of access to information in library collections are complex and are not intuitively self-evident (Retting, 1993). A reader’s advisory service, bibliographic instruction, and information referral are three basic elements of reference service. The historical documents on academic library services in new China can be traced back to the year 1956, when the Ministry of Higher Education drafted a set of provisional regulations for university and college library services in the People’s Republic of China. In July 1987, the State Education
1057-2317/$ - see front matter & 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.iilr.2003.11.001
ARTICLE IN PRESS 106
Commission further amended the document and issued it as the Regulations of University and College Library Services, which is a legal document intended to guide and control university and college library service. In 1991, the State Education Commission issued the Proposals with Regard to the Measure and Evaluation of University and College Library Services by Peer Review (Gong, 1998). User education (also bibliographic instruction) in China developed on campus with the support of both the library and university administration. In 1987, the first library instruction division was set up in Tsinghua University Library. A primary computerbased search system for instruction was developed in Tsinghua University in 1990. By the year 1999, 421 or 39 percent of China’s universities were providing user education programs (Sun & Rader, 1999). The first ‘‘National Workshop for Information Literacy in Higher Education’’ was held in January 2002, and it attracted approximately 170 librarians from different academic universities (Rader, 2002). Guided reading for students is another activity featured in university and college libraries in China, but this aspect of reference service traditionally has received much less attention than other library services. For the most part, questions about library use, bibliographic citations, reference materials, etc. are dealt with by circulation and reading room staff rather than reference staff. Reference librarians have tended to focus their energies on complex questions requiring detailed answers, on higherlevel information retrieval and on information analysis (Gong, 1998). The literature indicates a growing body of research on academic library reference service in China. An important aspect of the research is the variety of reference services and information academic libraries make available to their users through the Internet. The extent of those services in Chinese academic libraries is the focus of this study.
Methodology A content analysis of library websites was selected for this study in order to collect specific data from a variety of participants. Websites of 95 institutions were selected for analysis. These institutions were identified as ‘‘Project 211’’ which is the Chinese government’s new endeavor aimed at strengthening about 100 institutions of higher education and key disciplinary areas as a national priority for the 21st century (China Education and Research Network, 2001). An important criterion was that each
H. Wang et al.
‘‘Project 211’’ library selected has its own home page. When a library listed multiple locations, data were collected separately and rated as a whole for that university library. All websites were examined and data were collected from August 10 to September 10, 2003. According to Retting, the distinguishing features of reference include a staff designated to provide the service; a collection of reference works accessible to the public in an area set aside for the provision of the service; adequate guides to the library’s resources; and a high degree of interaction between the staff and the clientele (Retting, 1993). Historically, reference service in Chinese academic libraries has included user education, information retrieval, and guided reading. After an initial exploration of each subject home page, the following list of reference services was developed for this analysis: * * *
*
Reference Librarian Availability. User Education Availability. Online Reference Availability (including email, real time, etc.). Guided Reading Availability (including information tracking for specific subjects, the latest science and technology information searching, new arrival recommendation, etc.).
An Excel spreadsheet was used to record data for each university library. Special features were included under ‘‘Other,’’ if found. The total number of occurrences for each feature was calculated and a simple percentage obtained. Special features were explained separately without calculating percentages of occurrence. The names of surveyed institutions were copied directly from their websites.
Conclusion and discussion Out of 95 ‘‘Project 211’’ institutions, only 90 (94.8%) library home pages are present on and could be accessed through the World Wide Web. Five university library home pages could not be accessed. They were Beijing Broadcasting Institute, Nanchang University, Northwest University, Renmin University of China, and Southern Yangtze University. Reference librarians are available at all 90 web-accessible academic libraries. Sixty-six (more than 73%) libraries provide user education, including regular training sessions to all university students, freshmen training, graduate student training, web-based training and even credit courses. Eighty-five (more than 94%) libraries
ARTICLE IN PRESS Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China
Table 1
107
Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China.
Institution
Reference librarian
Anhui U. Beihang University Beijing Broadcasting Institute Beijing Foreign Studies U. Beijing Forestry U. Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing Jiaotong University Beijing Normal U.
X X N/A X X X X X
Beijing U. of Chemical Technology Beijing U. of Chinese Medicine Beijing U. of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing U. of Technology Central Conservatory of Music
X
User education X N/A X X X X
Guided reading X X N/A X X
Online reference
Other
X N/A X
X X
X X
X
X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Freshmen training
Graduate student/ freshmen training
Subject specialists Freshmen training Music appreciation class
Central South U. Central University for Nationalities China Agricultural U.
X X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
Subject specialists, faculty liaison, graduate student/ freshmen training
China Pharmaceutical U. China University of Geosciences
X X
X
X X
X
Freshmen training, subject specialists, faculty liaison
China U. of Mining & Technology Chang An U. Chongqing U.
X X X
X X X
X X
Dalian Maritime U. Dalian U. of Technology Donghua U.
X X X
X X X
X X X
East China Normal U.
X
X
X
X
East China U. of Science & Technology Fourth Military Medicine U.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Fudan U. Fuzhou U. Guangxi U. Harbin Engineering U. Harbin Institute of Technology Hebei U. of Technology
X X X X X X
X
X X X X X X
X X X X X
Hehai U. Huazhong U. of Science & Technology Hunan Normal U. Hunan U. Inner Mongolia U.
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Web-based freshmen training
24-hour online reference Credit course, subject specialists
Graduate level course Real-time reference
Online user survey, real-time reference Freshmen training
Real-time reference Credit course, webbased training
ARTICLE IN PRESS 108 Table 1
H. Wang et al. (continued)
Institution
Reference librarian
User education
Guided reading
Online reference
Other
Jilin U. Jinan U. Lanzhou U. Liaoning U. Nanchang U. Nankai U.
X X X X N/A X
X
X X X X N/A X
X X X X N/A X
Real-time reference Freshmen training
Nanjing Agricultural U. Nanjing Normal U. Nanjing U. Nanjing U. of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing U. of Science and Technology National U. of Defence Technology Northeast Agricultural U. Northeast Normal U. Northeastern U. Northwest Polytechnical U.
X X X X
X X
X X X X
X X X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
Northwest U. Ocean U. of China Peking U.
N/A X X
N/A X X
N/A X X
N/A X X
Renmin U. of China Second Military Medicine U. Shandong U. Shanghai International Studies U. Shanghai Jiaotong U.
N/A X X X
N/A X X X
N/A X X
N/A X X X
X
X
X
X
Shanghai Second Medical U. Shanghai U. Shanghai U. of Finance and Economy Sichuan Agricultural U. Sichuan U. Soochow U. South China Normal U. South China U. of Technology Southeast U. Southern Yangtze U. Southwest Jiaotong U. Southwest U. of Finance and Economics Sun Yat-Sen U. Taiyuan U. of Technology Tianjin Medical U. Tianjing U. Tongji U.
X X X
X X
X X X
X X X
X X X X X X N/A X X
X X X X X N/A X X
Tsinghua U.
X N/A X
X
X X X X X X N/A X X
X X X X N/A X
X X X X X
X X
X
X
X
Freshmen training Subject specialists, faculty liaison Subject specialists Subject specialists
Web-based training Freshmen/graduate student training, credit course Subject specialists Subject specialist, real-time reference, credit course Web-based training
Real-time reference, credit course, subject specialists Real-time reference Real-time reference, credit course
Freshmen training Real-time reference
X X X X X
X
Freshmen training
X X
X
X
Credit course Subject specialists, faculty liaison Credit course
ARTICLE IN PRESS Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China Table 1
109
(continued)
Institution
Reference librarian
User education
Guided reading
Online reference
U. of Electronic Science & Technology U. of International Business and Economics U. of Petroleum U. of Science and Technology Beijing U. of Science and Technology of China Wuhan U. Wuhan U. of Technology
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X X
X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Xiamen U. Xi’an Jiaotong U. Xidian U. Xinjiang U. Yanbian U. Yunnan U. Zhejiang U. Zhengzhou U.
X X X X X X X X
X
X X X
X X X X
Total accessed: 90
90 100%
X X X
X
X
X X
Freshmen training, Web-based training film Subject specialists
X
X
X X
X X
66 73%
85 94%
81 90%
provide guided reading service. Pathfinders and New Arrival Information are very popular on their sites. Eighty-one (90%) libraries feature online reference, while some only put an email address on the site. Others offer real-time, 24-h online reference. Table 1 also reflects how library reference services varied from institution to institution. Some libraries have already set up a well-functioning reference system with several subject specialists. These include Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China Agricultural University, China University of Geosciences, East China Normal University, Nankai University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Normal University, Ocean University of China, Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University, Tsinghua University, and Xi’an Jiaotong University. Some libraries have adopted current technology to build an online reference service system to satisfy their patrons, and Wuhan University of Technology is an outstanding example. Some universities also provide fee-based information retrieval service to the campus and community members. Unfortunately, 22 libraries did not have any user education program. This may be partially because most Chinese regard the library as a place to read and study, but not to ask, which is quite
Other
different from the western tradition. As human history developed, information organization became more complex, reference services became more important, and reference librarians began playing a more significant role interacting between the library’s physical resources and its users. Nevertheless, this study is a snapshot in time, and some institutions will have added services while others may have refined existing features. It is unclear how reference services are needed, used and evaluated in these libraries. Those areas are ripe for study. Reference services have changed the culture of academic libraries in China. Bibliographic instruction, online reference and retrieving related information for students and faculty have created challenges for academic libraries. Understanding these features will be crucial in the years ahead as reference services become increasingly entrenched in Chinese academic libraries.
References China Education and Research Network (2001). Project 211: A brief introduction (l). Retrieved September 3, 2003, from http://www.edu.cn/20010101/21851.shtml
ARTICLE IN PRESS 110
Gong, Y. (1998). Structural profiles of China’s library and information systems. Asian Libraries, 7(1), 7–22. Ministry of Education (2003). . Retrieved September 3, 2003, from http://www.moe.edu.cn/stat/ gxmingdan/ptgx 20030702.htm Rader, H. B. (2002). Information literacy and academic libraries in China: Report of a recent visit. Library Hi Tech News, 19(4), 3–4.
H. Wang et al.
Retting, J. R. (1993). Reference and information service. In R. Wedgeworth (Ed.), World encyclopedia of library and information services (3rd ed.) (pp. 703–708). Chicago: American Library Association. Sun, P., & Rader, H. B. (1999). Academic library user education in China. Reference Services Review, 27(1), 69–72. Yang, Z., Lin, H., & Zheng, Q. (1998). The China Education Research Network (CERNET) and library services. Asian Libraries, 7(9), 210–214.
The International Information & Library Review www.elsevier.com/locate/iilr
Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China: a web analysis Hanrong Wanga,*, Guiling Niub, William J. Hubbardc a
Houston Cole Library, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265, USA Foreign Languages School, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China c Houston Cole Library, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL 36265, USA b
Summary Since the introduction of the Internet and network technology, academic libraries in China have experienced great development and innovation. Some university libraries have been locating electronic resources and services on their websites since the late 1990s. This research presents the current status and the latest development of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China by reviewing these services (including reference librarian availability, user education, online reference and guided reading) found at library websites of the 95 ‘‘Project 211’’ institutions. & 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction Academic libraries in mainland China exist primarily for curriculum support and student and faculty research. As of July 2003, there were 1517 universities located in 29 Chinese provinces (Ministry of Education, 2003). A typical academic library has one or more physical buildings with several reading rooms, study areas, books, periodicals and computers open to the students, faculty and staff more than 40 h a week. Acquisitions, cataloging, serials, circulation and reference are the most important departments in these libraries. Since the introduction of the Internet and network technology, academic libraries in China have experienced great development and innovation. Online public catalogs, electronic journals, ebooks, and e-reference are the typical results of this development. The establishment of the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) and the China Academic Library and Information System *Corresponding author. Tel.: þ 1-256-782-5250; fax: þ 1-256782-5872. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (H. Wang), [email protected] (G. Niu), [email protected] (W.J. Hubbard).
(CALIS) has encouraged this development, making it possible for the universities to share documents and information resources (Yang, Lin, & Zheng, 1998). Meanwhile, some university libraries have been locating electronic resources and services on their websites since the late 1990s. All these factors have enhanced the ability to conduct research.
Literature review Reference and information services exist in libraries because some means of access to information in library collections are complex and are not intuitively self-evident (Retting, 1993). A reader’s advisory service, bibliographic instruction, and information referral are three basic elements of reference service. The historical documents on academic library services in new China can be traced back to the year 1956, when the Ministry of Higher Education drafted a set of provisional regulations for university and college library services in the People’s Republic of China. In July 1987, the State Education
1057-2317/$ - see front matter & 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.iilr.2003.11.001
ARTICLE IN PRESS 106
Commission further amended the document and issued it as the Regulations of University and College Library Services, which is a legal document intended to guide and control university and college library service. In 1991, the State Education Commission issued the Proposals with Regard to the Measure and Evaluation of University and College Library Services by Peer Review (Gong, 1998). User education (also bibliographic instruction) in China developed on campus with the support of both the library and university administration. In 1987, the first library instruction division was set up in Tsinghua University Library. A primary computerbased search system for instruction was developed in Tsinghua University in 1990. By the year 1999, 421 or 39 percent of China’s universities were providing user education programs (Sun & Rader, 1999). The first ‘‘National Workshop for Information Literacy in Higher Education’’ was held in January 2002, and it attracted approximately 170 librarians from different academic universities (Rader, 2002). Guided reading for students is another activity featured in university and college libraries in China, but this aspect of reference service traditionally has received much less attention than other library services. For the most part, questions about library use, bibliographic citations, reference materials, etc. are dealt with by circulation and reading room staff rather than reference staff. Reference librarians have tended to focus their energies on complex questions requiring detailed answers, on higherlevel information retrieval and on information analysis (Gong, 1998). The literature indicates a growing body of research on academic library reference service in China. An important aspect of the research is the variety of reference services and information academic libraries make available to their users through the Internet. The extent of those services in Chinese academic libraries is the focus of this study.
Methodology A content analysis of library websites was selected for this study in order to collect specific data from a variety of participants. Websites of 95 institutions were selected for analysis. These institutions were identified as ‘‘Project 211’’ which is the Chinese government’s new endeavor aimed at strengthening about 100 institutions of higher education and key disciplinary areas as a national priority for the 21st century (China Education and Research Network, 2001). An important criterion was that each
H. Wang et al.
‘‘Project 211’’ library selected has its own home page. When a library listed multiple locations, data were collected separately and rated as a whole for that university library. All websites were examined and data were collected from August 10 to September 10, 2003. According to Retting, the distinguishing features of reference include a staff designated to provide the service; a collection of reference works accessible to the public in an area set aside for the provision of the service; adequate guides to the library’s resources; and a high degree of interaction between the staff and the clientele (Retting, 1993). Historically, reference service in Chinese academic libraries has included user education, information retrieval, and guided reading. After an initial exploration of each subject home page, the following list of reference services was developed for this analysis: * * *
*
Reference Librarian Availability. User Education Availability. Online Reference Availability (including email, real time, etc.). Guided Reading Availability (including information tracking for specific subjects, the latest science and technology information searching, new arrival recommendation, etc.).
An Excel spreadsheet was used to record data for each university library. Special features were included under ‘‘Other,’’ if found. The total number of occurrences for each feature was calculated and a simple percentage obtained. Special features were explained separately without calculating percentages of occurrence. The names of surveyed institutions were copied directly from their websites.
Conclusion and discussion Out of 95 ‘‘Project 211’’ institutions, only 90 (94.8%) library home pages are present on and could be accessed through the World Wide Web. Five university library home pages could not be accessed. They were Beijing Broadcasting Institute, Nanchang University, Northwest University, Renmin University of China, and Southern Yangtze University. Reference librarians are available at all 90 web-accessible academic libraries. Sixty-six (more than 73%) libraries provide user education, including regular training sessions to all university students, freshmen training, graduate student training, web-based training and even credit courses. Eighty-five (more than 94%) libraries
ARTICLE IN PRESS Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China
Table 1
107
Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China.
Institution
Reference librarian
Anhui U. Beihang University Beijing Broadcasting Institute Beijing Foreign Studies U. Beijing Forestry U. Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing Jiaotong University Beijing Normal U.
X X N/A X X X X X
Beijing U. of Chemical Technology Beijing U. of Chinese Medicine Beijing U. of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing U. of Technology Central Conservatory of Music
X
User education X N/A X X X X
Guided reading X X N/A X X
Online reference
Other
X N/A X
X X
X X
X
X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Freshmen training
Graduate student/ freshmen training
Subject specialists Freshmen training Music appreciation class
Central South U. Central University for Nationalities China Agricultural U.
X X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
Subject specialists, faculty liaison, graduate student/ freshmen training
China Pharmaceutical U. China University of Geosciences
X X
X
X X
X
Freshmen training, subject specialists, faculty liaison
China U. of Mining & Technology Chang An U. Chongqing U.
X X X
X X X
X X
Dalian Maritime U. Dalian U. of Technology Donghua U.
X X X
X X X
X X X
East China Normal U.
X
X
X
X
East China U. of Science & Technology Fourth Military Medicine U.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Fudan U. Fuzhou U. Guangxi U. Harbin Engineering U. Harbin Institute of Technology Hebei U. of Technology
X X X X X X
X
X X X X X X
X X X X X
Hehai U. Huazhong U. of Science & Technology Hunan Normal U. Hunan U. Inner Mongolia U.
X X
X X
X X
X X
X X X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Web-based freshmen training
24-hour online reference Credit course, subject specialists
Graduate level course Real-time reference
Online user survey, real-time reference Freshmen training
Real-time reference Credit course, webbased training
ARTICLE IN PRESS 108 Table 1
H. Wang et al. (continued)
Institution
Reference librarian
User education
Guided reading
Online reference
Other
Jilin U. Jinan U. Lanzhou U. Liaoning U. Nanchang U. Nankai U.
X X X X N/A X
X
X X X X N/A X
X X X X N/A X
Real-time reference Freshmen training
Nanjing Agricultural U. Nanjing Normal U. Nanjing U. Nanjing U. of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing U. of Science and Technology National U. of Defence Technology Northeast Agricultural U. Northeast Normal U. Northeastern U. Northwest Polytechnical U.
X X X X
X X
X X X X
X X X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
Northwest U. Ocean U. of China Peking U.
N/A X X
N/A X X
N/A X X
N/A X X
Renmin U. of China Second Military Medicine U. Shandong U. Shanghai International Studies U. Shanghai Jiaotong U.
N/A X X X
N/A X X X
N/A X X
N/A X X X
X
X
X
X
Shanghai Second Medical U. Shanghai U. Shanghai U. of Finance and Economy Sichuan Agricultural U. Sichuan U. Soochow U. South China Normal U. South China U. of Technology Southeast U. Southern Yangtze U. Southwest Jiaotong U. Southwest U. of Finance and Economics Sun Yat-Sen U. Taiyuan U. of Technology Tianjin Medical U. Tianjing U. Tongji U.
X X X
X X
X X X
X X X
X X X X X X N/A X X
X X X X X N/A X X
Tsinghua U.
X N/A X
X
X X X X X X N/A X X
X X X X N/A X
X X X X X
X X
X
X
X
Freshmen training Subject specialists, faculty liaison Subject specialists Subject specialists
Web-based training Freshmen/graduate student training, credit course Subject specialists Subject specialist, real-time reference, credit course Web-based training
Real-time reference, credit course, subject specialists Real-time reference Real-time reference, credit course
Freshmen training Real-time reference
X X X X X
X
Freshmen training
X X
X
X
Credit course Subject specialists, faculty liaison Credit course
ARTICLE IN PRESS Current status of reference services in academic libraries in mainland China Table 1
109
(continued)
Institution
Reference librarian
User education
Guided reading
Online reference
U. of Electronic Science & Technology U. of International Business and Economics U. of Petroleum U. of Science and Technology Beijing U. of Science and Technology of China Wuhan U. Wuhan U. of Technology
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X X
X
X
X X
X X
X X
X X
Xiamen U. Xi’an Jiaotong U. Xidian U. Xinjiang U. Yanbian U. Yunnan U. Zhejiang U. Zhengzhou U.
X X X X X X X X
X
X X X
X X X X
Total accessed: 90
90 100%
X X X
X
X
X X
Freshmen training, Web-based training film Subject specialists
X
X
X X
X X
66 73%
85 94%
81 90%
provide guided reading service. Pathfinders and New Arrival Information are very popular on their sites. Eighty-one (90%) libraries feature online reference, while some only put an email address on the site. Others offer real-time, 24-h online reference. Table 1 also reflects how library reference services varied from institution to institution. Some libraries have already set up a well-functioning reference system with several subject specialists. These include Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China Agricultural University, China University of Geosciences, East China Normal University, Nankai University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing Normal University, Ocean University of China, Peking University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University, Tsinghua University, and Xi’an Jiaotong University. Some libraries have adopted current technology to build an online reference service system to satisfy their patrons, and Wuhan University of Technology is an outstanding example. Some universities also provide fee-based information retrieval service to the campus and community members. Unfortunately, 22 libraries did not have any user education program. This may be partially because most Chinese regard the library as a place to read and study, but not to ask, which is quite
Other
different from the western tradition. As human history developed, information organization became more complex, reference services became more important, and reference librarians began playing a more significant role interacting between the library’s physical resources and its users. Nevertheless, this study is a snapshot in time, and some institutions will have added services while others may have refined existing features. It is unclear how reference services are needed, used and evaluated in these libraries. Those areas are ripe for study. Reference services have changed the culture of academic libraries in China. Bibliographic instruction, online reference and retrieving related information for students and faculty have created challenges for academic libraries. Understanding these features will be crucial in the years ahead as reference services become increasingly entrenched in Chinese academic libraries.
References China Education and Research Network (2001). Project 211: A brief introduction (l). Retrieved September 3, 2003, from http://www.edu.cn/20010101/21851.shtml
ARTICLE IN PRESS 110
Gong, Y. (1998). Structural profiles of China’s library and information systems. Asian Libraries, 7(1), 7–22. Ministry of Education (2003). . Retrieved September 3, 2003, from http://www.moe.edu.cn/stat/ gxmingdan/ptgx 20030702.htm Rader, H. B. (2002). Information literacy and academic libraries in China: Report of a recent visit. Library Hi Tech News, 19(4), 3–4.
H. Wang et al.
Retting, J. R. (1993). Reference and information service. In R. Wedgeworth (Ed.), World encyclopedia of library and information services (3rd ed.) (pp. 703–708). Chicago: American Library Association. Sun, P., & Rader, H. B. (1999). Academic library user education in China. Reference Services Review, 27(1), 69–72. Yang, Z., Lin, H., & Zheng, Q. (1998). The China Education Research Network (CERNET) and library services. Asian Libraries, 7(9), 210–214.