‘Shaking the Conceptual Foundations,’ Too: Integrating Research and Technology Support for the Next Generation of Information Service

Abstract

Basic approaches to reference service have not altered in recent decades despite dramatic changes in user needs, customer service technologies, and transformations in other areas of the library. Rather than add more layers of experimental services that deplete resources and increase com plexity, information service should be reconceived to include new partners in support of the use of technology while undertaking substantially new approaches to on-site and network-based information service. By reengineering organizations in ways that bring librarians and technolo gists together within a common service environment, information service agencies can more effectively meet our users' needs by moving more fully and flexibly into the network as changing circumstances warrant.ight years ago, Jerry D. Campbell wrote a controver sial article that was among the first of a wave of publications, listserv discussions, professional meet ings, and "rethinking" institutes on the future of reference service.

Educating the academic librarian as a blended professional: a review and case study

“…A key worldwide trend associated with technological developments in the eLib period is the formulation of integrated institution-wide information strategies (Allen and Wilson, 1996;Bernbom, 1998;Breaks, 1991;Hughes, 1997;Michalko, 2000;Sidgreaves, 1989) along with the creation of new organisational models for academic library, computing/information technology and other support services, typically referred to as 'converged', 'merged' or 'integrated' services (Ferguson, 2000;Field, 2001;Hanson, 2005;Hirshon, 1998;McKnight, 2002;Sayers, 2001). These models combine distinct but related activities in unified organisational structures and/or bring services together through collaborative operational delivery.…”

Change is Coming: A Combined Services Area Project

“…Experiences removing reference librarians from the reference desk and changing to a mediated/referral service model at Colorado State University Library and the University of Arizona Library are described by Feldman (2009) and Bracke and others (2007), respectively. Ferguson (2000) also discusses tiered and appointment-based service models and describes the benefits of a reference librarian presence outside of the library, where there are opportunities to collaborate with users and to engage them in conversations about issues such as scholarly communication.…”

Fluxion-structures: records for remote access electronic resources

“…academic library reference service remains structured steadfastly around physical objects and the library as place'. 70 It is yet to be seen how far developments in users' interfaces -whether via OPACs implementing FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) displays, 71 portal applications that allow metasearching and reference linking, exposure of the dark web by Google, or next generation metacatalogues -may mitigate the apparent result of continuation with these traditional structures: 'suboptimal, fragmented discovery':…”