Numeric Data Services and Sources for the General Reference Librarian

Citation

Smith, A.G. (2012), "Numeric Data Services and Sources for the General Reference Librarian", The Electronic Library, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 872-873. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640471211282172

The range and complexity of statistical sources available has significantly increased. Instead of being limited to printed publications, researchers can now access interactive table generators, such as the US Census's American Fact Finder (http://factfinder2.census.gov) allowing the user to drill down and select data.

On one hand this has made it easier for librarians to provide targeted statistics for their users. However in order to provide good quality data services, librarians must become skilled in using the tools, and be familiar with statistical and social science concepts. In some academic libraries dedicated data librarian positions have been created.

Numeric Data Services and Sources for the General Reference Librarian is aimed at the general reference librarian who needs to field social science statistical data questions, but also provides a newly appointed data librarian with a starting point.

The book starts by introducing the concept of data service, then moves on to building an effective data service: an environmental scan, marketing, and models of reference service. The next section deals with the patron: the reference interview for statistical data requests, and instruction in statistical and data literacy. Following this is a discussion of strategies for answering statistical data queries, and a survey of statistical data sources from governmental, international, and research organisations. The book closes with advice drawn from a range of academic data librarians interviewed by the authors. This gives interesting insights into the range of statistical queries: a request for the number of female freelance writers under five feet tall, and statistics on Internet usage prior to 1950!

Although from a British publisher, the book is focused on the US academic context, although the list of sources includes international, Canadian and British data collections.

Lynda Kellam, the primary author, blogs about data services at (http://uncgdataland.blogspot.co.nz/) and is active in the International Association of Social Science Information Services and Technology (IASSIST).

This book is a valuable guide to the provision of statistical data services in the social sciences. There is only minimal coverage of basic statistical concepts, but the key points of establishing a data service, carrying out effective reference interviews, instructing users, and developing efficient search strategies, are well covered. The list of sources would be more current if provided online: the URL for International Finance Statistics has changed, Worldbank has a new interface, and a typo needs correction in the URL for Global Health Observatory. However having the list provides a good overview of the range of sources available.

This book will be valuable in any library that provides social science data information, and will be key reading for new data librarians. It will also be a useful resource for LIS courses in information service.