Welcome to ALA’s Reference Department
What is the Reference Services Section (RSS)?
RSS is the place in the American Library Association (ALA) for librarians and support staff involved with frontline reference, and for those providing library services to special populations of users. RSS is a section of RUSA, the Reference and User Services Association.The responsibilities of the Reference Services Section are
- to serve as a forum for sharing experience and information
- to explore new ways to assist users seeking information in a changing information environment
- to represent the interests of frontline and user services librarians and support staff
- to monitor activities of other units in ALA that have relevance to reference and user services
RSS Spotlight
Measuring and Assessing Reference Services and Resources: A Guide
How can you get involved with RSS?
Members of RSS committees work to advance the interests of the section. Committee activities range from planning for the section’s future to hosting forums and preparing publications. Most appointments are for two-year terms. If you are interested in joining a committee, please complete the RSS volunteer form. You may want to attend an All RSS Committee Meeting at Annual or Midwinter to learn more about our section.
Our Committees
- Catalog Use
- Cooperative Reference Services
- Education and Professional Development for Reference
- Evaluation of Reference and User Services
- Executive
- Library Services to an Aging Population
- Library Services to the Spanish Speaking
- Management of Reference
- Marketing and Public Relations for Reference Services
- Nominating
- Organization and Planning
- Preconference Planning (joint committee with MARS)
- Research and Statistics
- Services to Adults
- User Education and Information Literacy
- Virtual Reference Services (joint committee with MARS)
- Web Advisory
Our Discussion Groups
- Dual Assignment (joint discussion group with CODES)
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Reference
- Hot Topics in Frontline Reference
- Performance Issues for Reference and Information Librarians
- Reference Services in Large Research Libraries
- Reference Services in Small & Medium-Sized Research Libraries
- Reference Services in Public Libraries
Join RSS!
As you renew your ALA membership, please consider becoming a member of RUSA. With a RUSA membership, you can join RSS and as many other RUSA sections as you want at no extra charge. Adding RSS is easy- Join or renew online and make sure to select RUSA and RSS.
- Join or renew by mail and make sure to check or write in the RSS section on your renewal or membership forms.
If you ever wanted to get involved with other reference librarians in ALA, this is your chance. Make sure to add RSS one as one of your sections this year.