The Role of Librarians in Reference Services at the Regional Library and Archives Service of North Sumatra Province

Abstract

This research aims to describe the form of reference services, the role of librarians, the challenges faced, as well as the evaluation of the information needs of administrators in the Regional Library of North Sumatra Province. By using a qualitative descriptive approach, data is collected through observation, in-depth interviews, documentation, and literature studies. The research results show that reference librarians play a strategic role as facilitators, mediators, and information needs analysts by utilizing reference collections such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, and digital sources. The main challenge faced by librarians does not lie in the availability of collections, but in aspects of human resource competence, especially communication skills, reference interview skills, and skills in interpreting user information needs. The interaction between librarians and librarians is proven to be an important factor in the success of searching for information because through two-way communication librarians can understand the context and search objectives more deeply. In addition, the process of evaluating information needs is carried out through clarification of questions, analysis of search objectives, selection of relevant sources, and guidance on the use of collections. This research confirms that the optimization of reference services requires strengthening the competence of librarians to be able to face various information needs of the community and support the improvement of user information literacy.