Shepherding the Reference Interview in a Secular College

Christians working in secular academic libraries face both challenges and opportunities to be a witness in the workplace. Because the materialistic view of reality is increasingly prominent in the secular university, Christian librarians may discover students who come with Reference questions may have deeper issues they would like to discuss. These students may be wrestling with the ultimate source for metaphysical concepts such as truth, justice, morals, meaning and beauty. Thus, Christian librarians should be aware of this situation and have a game plan to make an impact in the lives of these students who are attempting to better understand reality. Given professional and institutional ethics in librarianship regarding value neutrality, under what circumstances might it be appropriate to share Christian theological perspectives in the reference interview, and in what manner, such that the librarian respects those institutional commitments, as well as student intellectual autonomy? This article will answer the question, “What are the potentialities for--and ethical limits of--sharing theological knowledge within and beyond the reference interview?” This article is not advocating for proselyting on the job. Rather, it will present the Christian librarian with a strategy to serve the student by understanding the university worldview and possibly leave a proverbial “pebble in their shoe” by suggesting additional sources in their research.