Relational caretakers, solution providers and expert communicators: understanding librarians' approaches to reference service in Ghana

Purpose – This research explores Ghanaian librarians' orientations to reference and information service. Orientations to practice are values, attitudes and beliefs that librarians hold about their reference and research services practice. Design/methodology/approach – Q methodology, which involves a card sort and interview was used to explore the perspectives of 26 librarians from various types of libraries in Ghana. Findings – The study identified three groups of librarians based on their orientations to reference service: Relational Caretakers, who focus on making the user feel comfortable and welcome; Solution Providers, who provide the user with something whether it be information, a resource or instruction on how to find information on their own and Expert Communicators who focus on listening to users and understanding their needs. Originality/value – By comparing and contrasting findings with those of similar studies on the topic, the study suggests cultural differences in librarians' orientation to reference practice, along with common orientations to practice across the globe.