This case study describes an academic library search committee's decision-making, practice, and assessment of using performance-based interviews as part of a national search for lecturer-level positions with a primary focus of reference and research services and minimal expectations of teaching information literacy in the classroom. The search committee determined performance-based interviews were successful in establishing candidates’ depth of skill in simulated reference transactions. The authors recommend incorporating an element of unscripted job simulation to employment interviews in libraries of all types.

One of the purposes with this master’s thesis is to shed light on tacit knowledge in the reference interview. Theoretical starting points are Robert Taylor’s report about question-negotiation and information-seeking in libraries, tacit knowledge, the concept of horizon in human consciousness and conversation methodology. The empirical material has been collected through the qualitative methods shadowing and interview. The thesis has a section that delves into the method of shadowing, as this turned out to be a useful method to perceive tacit knowledge in reference interviews. The study’s second purpose aims therefore to investigate if shadowing can be developed to perceive and describe tacit knowledge in unspoken work situations, like a reference interview. The empirical analysis shows aspects and components of tacit knowledge in the reference interview. It also shows strategies developed and used by librarians to be able to help users to find the information they express that they need. Shadowing was a useful method in the study, as it can capture nuances and non-verbal details in the interplay between librarian and user.  This is a two years master's thesis in Library and information science.