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1.
ABSTRACT

As staffing models evolve for academic library service points, online chat reference services require strategic analysis to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This paper will examine the perception of chat reference before and after staffing changes from faculty librarians, staff, and graduate assistants to non-MLIS library professionals and graduate assistants at Florida State University’s a large, public research university library. Our survey explores satisfaction levels and perception of both patrons and library personnel before and after the staffing change.

Our analysis of 197 patron survey results determined that patrons are equally satisfied with non-librarian provision of chat reference services and found chat interactions to be comparable in quality and timeliness to chats staffed by librarians. Our research into staffer survey results revealed a slight decrease in satisfaction with operation of the service, notably in terms of confidence after the staffing transition even though this was not reflected in the patron satisfaction levels. This assessment indicates that library workers are equally as competent in staffing chat reference services as librarians from patron perspectives. As academic libraries continue to measure the value of staffing service desks with librarians, this study will provide relevant insight into how patrons and staffers are affected by changes in staffing models.  相似文献   

2.
The authors discuss a newly established academic library at the University of California, Merced, as a model for reference service that foregoes a desk staffed with reference librarians. The library provides innovative, quality reference services for its users by using well-trained staff at a library services desk and employing new technologies for asynchronous communication and instruction.  相似文献   

3.
An increasing number of medical school libraries offer chat service to provide immediate, high quality information at the time and point of need to students, faculty, staff, and health care professionals. Part 2 of Chat Reference Service in Medical Libraries presents a snapshot of the current trends in chat reference service in medical school libraries. In late 2002, 25 (21%) medical school libraries provided chat reference. Trends in chat reference services in medical school libraries were compiled from an exploration of medical school library Web sites and informal correspondence from medical school library personnel. Many medical libraries are actively investigating and planning new chat reference services, while others have decided not to pursue chat reference at this time. Anecdotal comments from medical school library staff provide insights into chat reference service.  相似文献   

4.
《The Reference Librarian》2013,54(37):91-104
Organizing reference services to use paraprofessionals as information providers can help academic libraries adapt to new technology, provide staff support for resource sharing, and assist reference librarians in developing new and enhanced roles on campus. It is a staffing alternative that can facilitate the integration and use of electronic reference resources, such as Online Catalogs, CD-ROM databases and end user searching by providing more assistance to users. Placing responsibility for teaching library clients how to use document delivery with the same staff who help users identify needed materials makes access easier for requestors, and resource sharing more readily accepted by students and faculty. And by separating Information and Research Support activities and sharing the workload between staff at different levels, reference librarians can provide an advanced level of research assistance, spend more time on support for faculty research collection development, classroom instruction, and the development and improvement of programs. Training of the paraprofessional staff and practice of the referral process are essential to the librarian-paraprofessional partnership this model requires. This article describes how paraprofessionals have been used in reference at a new academic library, and how the role of the reference librarian has been redefined as a result.  相似文献   

5.
The goals of this research study are: 1) to investigate the level of complexity of chat reference questions; 2) to measure the performance of paraprofessional reference staff based on answer correctness and patron interactions; and 3) to use this data to assess the overall effectiveness of the triage reference-services model currently used by all three campus libraries of MCPHS University. A team of five reference librarians conducted a retrospective two-year evaluation of live-chat reference transactions. The questions' complexity was evaluated using the Reference Effort Assessment Data (READ) scale, while the answer correctness and patron interactions were scored using a rubric. The study provides data in support of the triage reference-services model and evidence that, with proper training, paraprofessional reference assistants can offer high-quality reference services for academic libraries' patrons.  相似文献   

6.
7.
Academic reference and instruction librarians are commited to providing excellent and appropriate service to their library users. However, the increasing diversity of users in today's academic libraries, coupled with the overwhelming amount of information available in a variety of formats, often form barriers which prevent users from feeling sufficiently comfortable in approaching the reference desk to ask for assistance. Guidelines are suggested for use by academic librarians in evaluating facilities, services and staff in their libraries to assess their effectiveness in welcoming users and validating their information needs.  相似文献   

8.
ABSTRACT

Despite a general decline in recent years in academic libraries’ reference desk statistics, research indicates that library users continue to have complex research questions but are largely unaware that librarians are waiting and ready to assist them. The challenge for librarians is to connect with users at their point of need. At Bowling Green State University, we are making a move in this direction with proactive (pop-up) chat widgets embedded within our library Web pages, catalog, and databases. Since implementation, the number of chat reference questions received has more than doubled, helping us reach additional users from on-and off-campus.  相似文献   

9.
Abstract

Launching virtual chat reference services at Boatwright Library at the University of Richmond has been an interesting challenge of “trial and error” over the years. After trying several different software programs and staffing options, librarians have finally found a niche with AOL's Instant Messenger service. The first section of the article describes a path of experimentation, including early collaborations with the computing services help desk, staffing patterns within the library, technical and financial challenges with virtual reference software, and attempts to get students to use reference chat services. The second half of the case study describes the great success with AIM service in the past year, providing statistical information as well as coverage of training and guidelines, advertising, and staffing. This article touches on a number of themes, including the value of experimenting with a variety of chat reference software programs, and the need for library staff to stay current with new technologies.  相似文献   

10.
Deciding that changes in the pattern of questions at the reference desk required focused consideration, the reference librarians at the Health Sciences Library of the University at Buffalo held a planning retreat. Technology-induced changes in the information-seeking behavior and reference needs of the library's clientele caused a reassessment of how these needs could best be met and what is the best use of librarians' time. The librarians considered current trends in reference in other academic libraries, the specific needs of the clientele of the Health Sciences Library, and the strengths and expertise of the library staff. The results of this structured discussion produced ideas for redefining reference to provide customized services for the clients and environment.  相似文献   

11.
Comprehensive assessments have shown that academic library users prefer a welcoming environment that provides the opportunity for self-sufficiency. Libraries need to meet these expectations and improve the quality of library reference by creating a comprehensive training program for librarians, staff, and students. This article will review standards for reference training in academic libraries with a focus on one-desk service points and consider best practices for planning, implementing, and assessing training programs for staff, students, and librarians.  相似文献   

12.
This article presents a model of how academnic libraries and schools of library and information studies (LIS) may collaborate to provide useful educational experiences to LIS students and reliable reference service to library users. LIS students staff an information desk for s fieldwork component of a basic reference course. Research shows that the students provide accurate services at the desk.  相似文献   

13.
Academic medical libraries have responded to changes in technology, evolving professional roles, reduced budgets, and declining traditional services. Libraries that have taken a proactive role to change have seen their librarians emerge as collaborators and partners with faculty and researchers, while para-professional staff is increasingly overseeing traditional services. This article addresses shifting staff and schedules at a single-service-point information desk by using time-driven activity-based costing to determine the utilization of resources available to provide traditional library services. Opening hours and schedules were changed, allowing librarians to focus on patrons’ information needs in their own environment.  相似文献   

14.
The emergence of data intensive science and the establishment of data management mandates have motivated academic libraries to develop research data services (RDS) for their faculty and students. Here the results of two studies are reported: librarians' RDS practices in U.S. and Canadian academic research libraries, and the RDS-related library policies in those or similar libraries. Results show that RDS are currently not frequently employed in libraries, but many services are in the planning stages. Technical RDS are less common than informational RDS, RDS are performed more often for faculty than for students, and more library directors believe they offer opportunities for staff to develop RDS-related skills than the percentage of librarians who perceive such opportunities to be available. Librarians need opportunities to learn more about these services either on campus or through attendance at workshops and professional conferences.  相似文献   

15.
16.
Abstract

In spring 2006, 404 medium-sized academic libraries participated in a survey to determine their reference-staffing practices. A medium-sized academic library is one affiliated with a bachelor's degree granting institution where the FTE enrollment is 3,000-9,999. Libraries reported their type of service model, number of questions asked, number of staff, variety of service points, types of staff utilized, hours and other factors used to make staffing decisions.

What are the staffing practices in reference departments at medium-sized academic libraries? How many reference and non-reference librarians are scheduled to work at reference service points? How many questions are typically asked during a week? Are students or support staff utilized? What type of model is most prevalent-one central desk with one librarian, several distributed desks with one or more staff members, a tiered service model or something else? What factors do reference managers consider when determining the hours and types of staff scheduled? These questions, and more, are explored in this report.  相似文献   

17.
Studies exploring librarians' backgrounds and career motivations frequently focus on all types of librarians or on students seeking degrees in librarianship. Investigating particular subsets of librarians is a field ripe for study. Here, we employed a survey of 193 academic library professionals, who are defined as those employed in professional positions in academic libraries but not possessing a graduate degree in librarianship. We found prior work in an academic library is a substantial motivating factor for entry into the field, as is also the case for traditional academic librarians who choose to attain a graduate degree in library science prior to obtaining a position in the library. The data also suggests that there are two main streams of entry for academic library professionals: those who are hired into functional positions that do not require a graduate degree in librarianship and those who hold paraprofessional titles that have taken on professional-level work. Finally, we found a majority of academic library professionals have no intention of, and do not see the value in, pursuing a graduate degree in librarianship.  相似文献   

18.
Two years after the initial 2002 study, a greater number of academic health science libraries are offering digital reference chat services, and this number appears poised to grow in the coming years. This 2004 follow-up study found that 36 (27%) of the academic health science libraries examined provide digital chat reference services; this was an approximately 6% increase over the 25 libraries (21%) located in 2002. Trends in digital reference services in academic health science libraries were derived from the exploration of academic health science library Web sites and from digital correspondence with academic health science library personnel using e-mail and chat. This article presents an overview of the current state of digital reference service in academic health science libraries.  相似文献   

19.
20.
Academic libraries have long gathered data at the reference desk to facilitate informed development of services and collections, and have long known that regardless of whether questions are related to doing research, the library is a safe place a student may go to find answers. This article highlights the role of the library and information commons service desks as valuable windows into the student experience. The authors suggest that librarians share with campus stakeholders information about students’ non-research-related questions to aid in the development of programs and services designed to help students adjust to campus life and, ultimately, succeed.  相似文献   

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