Librarians at the Desk: Yes or No?

1. Librarians at the Desk:Yes or No? Michelle Lake, Carleton University Donna Millard, McMaster University

2. Agenda • The Debate • Librarians on Desk? NO: Donna Millard • Librarians on Desk? YES: Michelle Lake • The Discussion What do you think?

3. Librarians on Desk? NO • Focus on Facts • Reference Statistics are declining and have been so for DECADES

4. Getting to Reference 2.0

5. ARL Statistics, 2007

6. Librarians on Desk? NO • Focus on facts: • Types of questions being asked do not require, on the most part, an Academic Librarian

7. Librarians on Desk? NO

8. Librarians on Desk? NO • Focus on Facts: • Trend in academic libraries to remove librarians from desk or keep them on for minimal hours • McMaster is currently working on new Blended Service desks • University of Western Ontario Science Library has already done so • St. Michael’s College at University of Toronto is now moving to this staffing model

9. Librarians on Desk? NO • Focus on Facts: • Academic Librarians are involved with many other activities; not enough time to do it all properly • David Lewis proposes a new focus for Academic Libraries from Library 1.0 to Library 2.0

10. Librarians on Desk? NO • David W. Lewis A Strategy for Academic Libraries in the First Quarter of the 21st Century, 2007

11. What is the literature saying? • “Reference librarians were moved to “on call” status… • Murphy, B. et al. Revolution at the Library Service Desk, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 27(4), Winter 2008 • “[Steven] Bell argued for the abolition of the reference desk by the year 2012.” • Dagger, J. Brave New World: Reference librarians in the age of Google, Duke Magazine, Sept-Oct 2008. • “…as long as there is reference activity in a library building, non-ALA accredited personnel will be a part of it and in the future may play an even greater role.” • Banks, J. and C. Pracht. Reference Desk Staffing Trends: A survey, Reference & User Services Quarterly, 48(1), Fall 2008, 54-59.

12. Librarians on Desk? YES • The number of questions being asked is declining, but the complexity and difficulty in the questions is increasing

13. Librarians on Desk? YES • The decline in reference statistics is caused by a number of different factors, including: • persistent library anxiety • an increasing belief that searching is simple

14. Librarians on Desk? YES • Massive amounts of information available online makes the role of a librarian even more key • As subjects become more interdisciplinary, the need for expert voices in search becomes an essential role for the library

15. Librarian on Desk? YES • The nature of the questions has shifted and although many inquires appear to be simple, a reference interview can uncover a misunderstanding of the research process…

16. Librarian on Desk? YES • What about the numbers? Applegate, Rachel. “Whose Decline? Which Academic Libraries are ‘Deserted’ in Terms of Reference Transactions?” Reference & User Quarterly, 48.2 (Winter 2008) pp. 176-189.

17. Librarians on Desk? YES • The ‘Millennial students’ have changed the nature of the academic environment and can Google with ease, but this does not mean that there is a greater depth of knowledge in research • Perhaps the questions shouldn’t be ‘librarians on the desk?’ but ‘how can the librarians on the desk reach more users?’

18. Librarians on Desk? YES • Not every student is a tech-savvy millennial • Diversity in the student population, in terms of educational background, age, and economic strata will effect their interaction with the library and the technology therein

19. Librarians on Desk? YES • In Person vs. Email vs. IM/Chat vs. 2.0 and beyond.. • How does tiered service function?

20. Librarians on Desk? YES • Library-As-Place • The Reference Desk as a Hub

21. Librarians on Desk? YES • Connection… • To the students • To the community • To the current concerns/assignments/subjects • Librarians need to be in the classroom, they need to be in the departments, however, with out the desk, they may lose connection & context with the students

22. Librarians on Desk? YES • Lessons in social interaction? • Lessons in seeking assistance? • What about a different kind of ‘desk’? • Virtual and physical space • Mobile Desk

23. The Debate is over! • What do you think? • Show of hands for No, Librarians off the desk • Show of hands for Yes, Librarians on the desk

24. The count is in… • Now we want to know why! • Please feel free to comment on the debate

25. Your comments: Off the desk • Understanding the community is more important • Mixed service has already been proven • Librarians on-call can stay in touch • Going out into the community will allow librarians to keep in contact • Funding issues • Fewer deep reference questions • Students don’t know/care about different desks/staff • Combining the desks can be effective • Good Library Technician support • How much expertise can a librarian apply to an undergrad? • Formally trained library staff is good enough

26. Your comments: On the desk • Don’t want to lose touch with the user • Statistics can lie • First impressions are important and lasting • Get contact with users • Librarians should be providing leadership and expertise at the desk as well as elsewhere • Referrals don’t always work—time issues • Librarians save time • Use desk time as a reality check (comment from administrator) • Get the student’s perspective • Connection developed with library staff • If on call, does staff on desk know when to call on duty librarian? • Experience is invaluable • How else do you truly keep up to date? • Formal library education is very important and applicable to desk • Use as a collection development tool as well

27. Thanks for your participation • Feel free to continue the conversation with us • Donna Millard millard@mcmaster.ca • Michelle Lake lake.michelle@gmail.com Our slides will be posted on the Conference site.