Others-Oriented Reference: Employing Cultural Humility in the Reference Interview

* WINNER OF THE 2023 PRACTICAL ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSHIP AWARD *

Authors

  • Grace Andrews Wesley Biblical Seminary
  • Bethany Radcliffe University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Garrett Trott Corban University

Abstract

Cultural humility has become a popular phrase in many contexts.  Despite its popularity, cultural humility retains some ambiguity, particularly for professional application.  This essay aims to resolve some of that by providing a brief overview of the term and specifically aiming to define cultural humility in the context of Library and Information Science. After providing a definition, this essay aims to assess a foundational component of librarianship, the reference interview, through this refined lens of cultural humility.  The essay progresses to provide two examples showing how cultural humility can enrich reference services: referrals and relational integration.  The authors of this essay argue that cultural humility may play a critical role in reviving the reference interview.

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Published

2022-08-18

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2022)

Section

Articles

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