In addition to abiding by the reference interview guidelines, the librarian should do the following during a telephone interview: 

- smile while talking to sound approachable
- express interest by clarifying the user’s question
- keep silence to a minimum by explaining the search process to the user


Telephone Interview

- imposed query
- communications trap
- negative closure

Problematic Strategies in the Reference Interview

The reference interview should cover:
- building rapport with the user
- negotiating the question
- developing an efficient search strategy
- locating the information
- evaluating the information
- following up to confirm the answer is sufficient
- closing the interview

San Jose State University

First, the reference librarian needs to conduct a reference interview with the user to specify the question as much as possible to focus their search aim and find the most relevant results and resources for the user.

Specifying the Question in Reference Services

Guidelines approved by the Reference and User Services Association Board of Directors for having a successful reference interview include:

- visibility/approachability
- interest
- listening/inquiring
- searching
- follow-up

RUSA Guidelines

Cassell, K. A., & Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and information services in the 21st century: An introduction (2nd ed.). Neal-Schuman Publishers.

Reference and information services in the 21st century: An introduction

Reference Interview

The librarian must be visible and approachable by maintaining eye contact and a friendly demeanor. Online services must be easy to find and use. 

RUSA Guideline of Visibility/Approachability

The librarian must express interest in the user’s question through verbal and non-verbal cues and prompt responses. 

RUSA Guideline of Interest

The librarian must listen to the user’s question and ask clarifying questions to confirm an understanding of the information need. 

RUSA Guideline of Listening/Inquiring

The librarian must use appropriate search terms to locate relevant sources. The librarian must respect the user’s timeframe, explain the search process, and confirm that the information provided is what the user needs. 

RUSA Guideline of Searching

The librarian must ask the user if their question has been answered in its entirety and encourage them to return or use other reference services (text, chat, IM, etc.) if they have any more questions.  

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