Professor Emeritae of Library Science

Ohio State University

Biographical information

Marjorie Ellyn Murfin was born in 1930, in Grove City, Ohio.

Education, Accomplishments and Work Experience:

Professor Murfin received her MS in Library Science at Kent State University in 1970. She served as Reference Librarian and Associate Professor at Ohio State University at Columbus,Ohio for 25 years, and was named Professor Emeritae at Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio, as of January 1, 2002, http://trustees.osu.edu/Minutes/2001December.html

Professor Murfin was also named Alumnus of the Year by Kent State University, School of Library and Information, in 1989.

http://www.slis.kent.edu/people/awards.php#alumnus

Contributions to the Reference Field:

Professor Murfin has authored or co-authored numerous studies concentrating on, but not exclusive to, assessment of reference service effectiveness, particularly in the academic library setting. She has worked with both Charles A.Bunge of the University of Wisconsin and John C. Stalker on data acquired from the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP), as well as with both Gary M. Gugelchuk, and Fred Ruland on evaluative standards for reference transactions. She has also contributed seven articles to The Reference Assessment Manual (1995), compiled and edited under the auspices of the ALA; of the seven, two articles were co-authored with Ralph Lowenthal.

One of Professor Murfin’s most recent studies, co-authored with Stalker (1996), shows some of the breadth of her work. In this preliminary case study (1996) the authors examined reference transactions using the WOREP data from one academic library reference department (at Brandeis University, MA) that scored an extremely high success rate on patron satisfaction. Patron satisfaction was measured as successful when the patron found “exactly what was wanted”(p.423), and this medium–sized library had scored 2 standard deviations above the mean, with a 72% satisfaction rate (p. 424). The library had employed an unusual reference service model, so the authors went on site to interview staff, observe transactions, and evaluate the reference collection to further their understanding of the excellent results enjoyed by the Brandeis library. The consultation model used referred all unanswerable questions from the reference desk (manned by graduate students) to a professional librarian in a semi-private room for a consultation of up to 20 minutes. While other attributes were positively mentioned, such as having easily accessed, superior reference materials, excellent training in the new electronic databases, and having a supportive and knowledgeable staff and administration, it was the emphasis on having sufficient and uninterrupted time with each patron that made the ultimate difference between a “very good” rating and an excellent one (p. 427).

Monographs

• Murfin, M. E., & Wynar, L. R. (1977). Reference service: An annotated bibliographic guide. Littleton, Colorado, Libraries Unlimited, Inc.

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Selected Refereed Articles and Book Chapters

• Bunge, C. A., & Murfin, M. E. (1987). Reference questions--data from the field. Reference Quarterly, 27, 15-18.

• Halldorsson, E. A., & Murfin, M. E. (1977). The performance of professionals and nonprofessionals in the reference interview. College and Research Libraries, 38(5), 385-395.

• Murfin, M. E. (1995). Assessing library services: The reference component. The reference assessment manual. (pp. 1-15). Ann Arbor: Pierian Press.

• Murfin, M. E. (1995). Library users and reference patrons. The reference assessment manual. (pp. 23-41). Ann Arbor: Pierian Press.

• Murfin, M. E. (1995). What reference services should be offered? The reference assessment manual. (pp. 16-22). Ann Arbor: Pierian Press.

• Murfin, M. E., & Bunge, C. A. (1988). Paraprofessionals at the reference desk. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 14, 10-14.

• Stalker, J. C., & Murfin, M. E. (1996). Frequently asked questions: An effective way to store and retrieve reference information? Reference Services Review, 24(4), 31-40.

• Stalker, J. C., & Murfin, M. E. (1996). Quality reference service: A preliminary case study. The Journal of Academic Librarianship,22, 423-429.

• Stalker, J. C., & Murfin, M. E. (1996). Why reference librarians won't disappear: A study of success in identifying answering sources for reference questions. Reference Quarterly, 35, 489-503.

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Anarda G. Williams