Perhaps libraries should first consider the broader issue surrounding their role in supporting a more systematic approach to citation management as part of a comprehensive information literacy program. In this context, the question of which citation manager to recommend frequently begs more questions.
Public service librarians and staff may also feel pressure to recommend a citation manager too quickly, resulting in another concern: the over-reliance on citation managers to replace what might be a valuable part of the learning and research continuum, especially for undergraduates. With increasing support and instruction for citation managers in libraries and institutions marketing these tools to users, librarians and library staff may feel overwhelmed by the options, features and best uses of these tools.
Librarians often ask themselves “Which citation manager should I recommend?” From undergraduate and graduate students, to faculty and researchers across disciplines, people want to know which citation manager is the best match for their research process. The result is a set of best practices for supporting, recommending, and teaching tools for the many aspects of citation management. With an appointed Citation Tools Team, they researched tools and their uses, polled public service librarians and staff, and held workshops and discussion sessions to outline a set of best practices and to assess user, librarian, and staff needs. But how should libraries best support citation management and the needs of users and how do the tools fit into information literacy programs? Penn State University librarians decided to take stock of the various tools and programs available for citation management and outline how these might be incorporated into reference and instruction settings. In recent years libraries have seen an increase in the number and complexity of citation management programs like Zotero, RefWorks and Endnote, and with this an expanded role for libraries in support of citation and research management. Submitted for review accepted for publication July 6, 2011 Citation Tools in Academic Libraries: Best Practices for Reference and Instructionĭawn Childress is Humanities Librarian, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
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