Beyond the desk: Enhanced reference staffing for the electronic library

Abstract

The changing reference environment and reference staffing have been the topic of several articles in the library literature, discussions at the American Library Association conferences and a recent conference offered twice by Library Solutions Inc. of Berkeley, California, entitled Rethinking Reference. Libraries are looking closely at the model at Brandeis University of eliminating the reference desk and replacing it with an information desk with research consultations with librarians taking place in an office. Larry Oberg urges librarians to stop thinking of the reference desk as a key reason for being a librarian. He contends that paraprofessionals can and do perform well at a reference desk, freeing librarians to concentrate on higher‐level tasks. These discussions and examples demonstrate a variety of solutions academic libraries have taken regarding the changing face of reference, and the evolving roles of reference librarians in moving towards the electronic library. The electronic library brings us new options and new opportunities and as a result librarians need to develop new ways of thinking and organizing reference services.

Extending the clan: Graduate assistantships in the reference department

“…25 The Hierarchical Reference Staffing Model developed at Rutgers University, Piscataway, utilizes library interns or trained nonprofessionals in reference, directional, and instructional activities. 26 Many others described the critical need for quality training of student workers. When one reference department reorganized "to make 'better use' of professional librarian subject specialists in collection development activities," librarians were replaced with student and staff employees.…”

The digital reference research agenda

“…Still and Campbell (1993) provide excellent examples of early e‐mail reference studies. This aspect of digital reference study includes examination of issues such as the role of the librarian in cyberspace, the impact of distance service on the traditional reference interview, evaluation, and the examination of new skills needed by the information professional (Mardikian & Kesselman, 1995).…”

Developing a model to provide digital reference services

“…More recently, Ferguson (2000) proposes a reference service model and blueprint that substantially integrate services to on-site and remote users. Mardikian and Kesselman (1995) identify new opportunities afforded by the digital environment, including formal and informal cooperative reference service networks.…”

“…Early on, InfoPoint staff drafted the following taxonomy of different types of reference questions, influenced by the model proposed by Mardikian and Kesselman (1995). This instrument, classified using a two-tiered approach, represented a division of labor between the proposed service and existing information service units.…”