Kommunikativ interaktion i den synkrona elektroniska referenstjänsten : Den interpersonella kommunikationen mellan användare och bibliotekarie

The aim of this master thesis is to gain greater knowledge of interpersonal communication. This study explores on one hand how interpersonal communication can be used as an important part of reference work in a Swedish electronic synchronous reference service, and on the other how interpersonal communication affects the relationship between user and librarian. By using communication theory and establishing a positive relational contact with the user in the electronic environment, the outcome of the reference encounter can be successful for both the librarian and the user. Furthermore, the importance of recognising relational barriers is of great relevance to the relational contact. The scope of this master thesis is to find what relational factors are used and can be used in the interaction between user and librarian. Chat-transcripts from an anonymous Swedish university have been analyzed, to find out how the interaction is affected by relational factors. Communication theory was applied while analyzing the chat-transcripts and two main themes were labelled as: "relational support" and "barriers". The first main theme - relational support - was further divided into the following sub-themes: feedback, communication opening and communication closure. The second main theme - barriers - was divided into: mechanical barriers, semantic barriers and psychological barriers. The main findings of this master thesis are that interpersonal communication in chat reference is used for relationship development, and barriers were found to filter the interaction between librarian and user.