Three trends have pushed university libraries to modify the structure of reference service in recent years, which are budgetary stringency, reduuctions in staffing, and the change of reference environment. University libraries can not but change the reference model in order to satisfy readers' needs in informaton age. This article explores the problems of traditional reference service, introduces the differentiated reference model, including its background, progress, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, and analyzes the feasibility of the model by the experience of serveral university libraries in the United Sates.