In this present era, information is readily available everywhere all the time.

With
the technologies that are easily carried in by pockets, people are able to discover,
gather, and utilize the information that they need—no matter when they need it or where
they are located. Because of these technological advancements, the question of
whether or not the existence of libraries is a necessity arises. As a result of these
technological advances, the question arises as to whether or not the existence of
reference libraries and reference librarians is deemed necessary. This essay will
provide insights and answers to the reasons why reference libraries and reference
librarians are still relevant, if not essential, to this information-laden world.

Ease of use does not always mean ease of understanding. The mountains of
unfiltered data over the new media, not taken account of whether or not its credibility
and competence are evaluated, are rapidly growing. With this, libraries are adapting to
the changes in the 21st century. Gone are the days where libraries only collect,
maintain, and publish information. Libraries are no longer passive and archival
institutions but are effective service institutions. Libraries' responsibilities go beyond
collecting and organizing books and newspapers to include an active role in information
dissemination. Libraries extend their function to servicing that helps their patrons by
directly assisting them in their search for and retrieval of information, which is what
modern librarians call reference services.

Reference service is the term used to define a service that the library provides to
data seeking clients. It is the supreme and ultimate function of the library (Wittaker,
1977) which began in the late 19th century largely in response to the growing
prevalence of the public city-funded libraries seeking to serve relatively inexperienced
and unskilled readers, researchers, scholars, and users of the libraries. Ranganathan
(1961) stated that reference services establish contact between reader and book by
personal service. Personal assistance is given in search of information by the libraries
to individual readers. Thomas Galvin (1978) listed three functions of the modern
reference librarian:

 assistance and instruction in the use of the library,

  assistance in identification and selection of books, journals, and other materials
relevant to a particular information need, and
 provision of brief, factual information of the "ready reference" variety.

In the current state of the Information Age where loads and loads of information come
and go, reference services are very vital to provide patrons opportunities to extend their
access to quality information.

The fast and comprehensive technological changes taking place now have a very
intense impact on a reference librarian’s tasks. Reference librarians are people with
realistic human limitations. This is where information systems come in to play.
Information systems is a system with a specific information reference and
complementary hardware and software networks used by individuals and organizations
to collect, filter, process, generate and distribute data as well. Information systems are
composed of six components that must work together in order to fulfill a specific task.
These are hardware, software, data, procedures, people, and feedback. Data is the link
between hardware and people. The machinery, including the software and procedures,
only collect and store data. Data only becomes information when people are involved. In
this paper, the type of information system that will prevalently be referred to is the library
management system (LMS). This system is the generally complete schema that will
carry out daily operational functions of the library.

The Library Management System consists of three fundamental components:

hardware, software and users. LMS is a network of computer workstations that utilizes a
specific program to promote the technical tasks of the library. Electronic cataloging is
one such feature. With LMS, library customers can track the books they want
electronically without going through the racks. LMS also promotes the lending process
by maintaining records of products loaned and data to borrowers. LMS promotes other
administrative duties, such as inventory and handling of information. With this, LMS
lessens the burden of librarians.

LMS makes day-to-day library activities more effective. This implies that more
research can be accomplished in less moment. As a result, this reduces operating
costs. This also minimizes documentation and manual duties, enabling library staff to
focus on other items, such as interactions with customers. LMS also reinforces user
loyalty and satisfaction by providing quick and reliable library services.

Despite the intuitive guidance of reference services and the efficiency provided
by information systems, there are still problems and issue relevant to the provision of
information to library users that are yet to be solved. Many library users do not know
that reference help is available to them for any research project, for free, without an
appointment. Reference librarians, like professors, are teachers as well. A reference
librarian’s job is to teach their patrons how to find, evaluate, and use information. Just
as a professor does not expect a student to know all the course content on the first day
of the course, librarians do not expect that library users know how to find articles in
library databases, evaluate the credibility of a website, or even cite sources when they
first begin using the library.

Reference librarians look for opportunities to help their patrons learn these and
other information skills. Some patrons are reluctant to ask a librarian a question that
they think is too basic, too complex, or inappropriate. They can ask a librarian if they are
not sure how to find something in the library, pick a topic for a paper, find information
about a certain topic, pick the best book, website, or article, or cite your sources. No
question is too basic: many patrons have never used a library before, and others have
not been to a library in decades. On the other hand, no question is too complex, either.
If reference librarians do not have the right resource, or do not know the answer, they
can reach out to other libraries and librarians to find what patrons need.

Lessick (2000) and Palmer (1999) published that user inquiries at the reference
desk are rapidly declining. A study by Onifade and Sowole (2011) shows that the
majority of undergraduate learners at the University of Agriculture in Abeokuta are not
conscious of the reference facilities in the library. Even those who are aware of using
reference sources as reference services are seen as the same thing. Many do not see
the reference librarian as a resource person able to improve their searches and meet
their information needs. Reference librarians are often mistaken by library users as staff
that are only there to watch and preserve the books, to keep the library noise-free, and
to operate the library management system when checking in and out borrowed books.
Some libraries lack the human resource that the reference librarian does all these daily
operations alone, including sweeping and cleaning the library.

The majority of the users are not familiar with the reference services provided by
the library to their clientele. In their quest for data, some users do not consider most
reference sources relevant because they are outdated and do not satisfy their present
requirements. And some users are not happy with the help they have received from the
library employees, as there is only one reference librarian available to manage
countless users’ queries. Other reference personnel with restricted understanding of
library resources. There are various suggestions that are given in support of their
teaching, learning and research to make reference services more meaningful to the
users.

It obviously refers to customers of the library's need for aggressive marketing and
its services. Also proposed is more operational marketing as a manner to enhance the
library. Many thoughts that will assist consumers to get to know the reference services.

The library must perform an orientation towards library sources and services for
the fresh learners at the start of each academic year. Each course must create a course
for all learners to "use the library" to take advantage of the library's separate equipment.
The library can incorporate a number of different ways of making the library known to
library users, some of which are to provide clear signage that guides users to reference
services and verbal notice advertising by reference librarians whenever they interact
with library users.

It is also motivating to note that one way to modernize the library is the personal
interest of the users. This will encourage the library to innovate and embrace new
trends. It is necessary to acquire new current reference source that serves the
community. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider innovations such as the use of
electronic resources that provide reference services. It can motivate users to use the
library services that are designed for them through these innovations and new trends.
 The reference area or reference desk in a library should have more than one
reference librarian. To direct users to the correct location for help, other library
employees should be trained. All employees should be trained to fulfill library services
requirements. By this, it can show that a substantial quantity of time invested by
reference librarians is addressing the technical queries of the user. In order to optimize
the use of the knowledge and time of the librarian, a distinct staffing model may need to
be considered. Multiple kinds of employees can be structured to answer user queries in
one manner of distinct staffing model. Trained library employees may work alongside
librarians on the reference desk, and they are accountable for answering easy
questions such as directional and technical issues and reference librarians to more
complicated queries.

The library is the storehouse of knowledge. In these challenging times when the
library cannot contain all the knowledge in the world due to the exponentially growing
quantities of data being processed over the digital media, the library endures and
presses on through the aid of reference librarians and information systems. Even
though issues like the lack of awareness of reference services and information systems
may occur, they can be overcome by taking advantage of the digital media,
disseminating information about reference services and information system to increase
consciousness to the library users.
REFERENCES

Galvin, T. J. (1978). Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. New York.

Lessick, S. (2000). Transforming reference staffing for the digital library. In Lankes, D.,
Collins., J.W., & Kasowitz, A.S. (Eds.). Digital Reference service in the New
millenium: Planning, management, and evaluation. New York: Neal Schuman.

Onifade, F. & Sowole, A. (2011). Reference Services in a University Library: Awareness

and Perception of Undergraduate Students. PNLA Quarterly. 753.

Palmer, S.S. (1999). Creating our role as reference librarians of the future: Fate or
choice. In Racing towards tomorrow: Proceedings of the ACRL Ninth National
Conference. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.

Ranganathan, S. R. (1961). Reference service. London: Asia Pub. House.

Wittaker, K. (1977). Towards a theory for reference and information science. Journal of
Librarianship 9: 49-63.