Departing the Desk: Reference, Change and the Art of Letting Go

Illinois Library AssociationAnnual Conference 2011, Rosemont, Illinois

Stephanie Davis-Kahl, Sue Stroyan, Chris SweetThe Ames Library, Illinois Wesleyan University

October 20, 2011

Photo by Bentley Smith, http://www.flickr.com/photos/superciliousness/29609713/

Demand for Services

Instruction

Reference

Shift in Quantity/Quality of Work

Norms

Service

Student Needs

Transitions

Re-Defining Reference

Librarians

Student

Assistants

Outcomes Better prepared to respond to technical questions

Higher level technical questions including some software issues Higher level hardware issues from training of troubleshooting

Better prepared to respond to directional questions Stronger knowledge base of building spaces Stronger knowledge base of what is happening in building Stronger Ability of where to find out what is happening

Better prepared to respond to basic research needs Knowledge of library web page Know when to ask for help Stronger sense of own ability.

Student Assistant Skill Set General

All Questions dealing with content will be referred to librarians. If they don’t know the answer, ask staff/librarians for help. All questions will be tracked in reference questions data base. Students will be mentally and physically alert providing proactive

assistance as needed. Catalog

Find items in on-line catalog Renew books Locate items on shelves Locate patron ID number to use for interlibrary loan Know I-Share and World Cat

Student Assistant Skills cont. Technical

Set up Wireless network Basic Microsoft Office products Basic troubleshooting of computers in Info Commons Proxy server Log-in procedures Copier & Fax machine troubleshooting Printer troubleshooting Room reservation system Telephone procedures Events Calendar Non-IWU users details

Student Assistant Skills cont. Library Web page

Familiarity with library home page Find A-Z list of databases Know where passwords for e-reserves Be able to point students to Research Guides (libguides) Be aware of style manuals ( where electronic and print ones are) Find specific journal titles Familiarity with Quick Facts page for

Ames Basic skills:all assistants receive

this training

Public Service Desk skills

Departmental example – T.S.

Individual position

INFO Common Student Training & Work Concepts

Group Training Session Every Wednesday - required

Individual Training Sessions One Hour per week fit into their schedule

Actual Work Hours Eight hours per week Everyone works four week-end rotations /semester

New Student Assistant OrientationFall 2011

Getting to Know You Meet Faculty and Staff

Getting to Know the Culture of the Library Mission & Vision - video Confidentiality – Theatre in the Round Outstanding Service is Our Business – video

Team Work is Library Work The Amazing Race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrbQlNF_i78&feature=player_embedded#!

How Does Departing the Desk Fit With The Ames Library Information Literacy Plan?

The Ames Library Information Literacy Plan (March, 2011)

Goal #2 Integrate library instruction and Information Literacy throughout the curriculum and throughout all four years.

Goal #3 Provide Information Literacy continuing education / developmental opportunities for faculty, staff and student workers campus‐wide.

How is Information Literacy Integrated into Student Assistant Training?

Moodle Modules – Embedded Quizzes– Written responses, reflective activities

Interactions between student assistants and librarians/library staff– Attending a library instruction session as

additional training– Training sessions that incorporate one-on-one– Meebo interactions as teachable moments

What Do Our Student Library Assistants Think?

• About the Librarian On-Call Model?• About the Student Assistant Training Program?

• What has been the most useful aspect of your Information Desk Training?

• How do you decide when to refer a question on to a librarian versus answering it yourself?

• Do you feel that having a librarian on-call vs. at the Info Desk is beneficial or detrimental to providing good customer service?

• How did attending an instruction session with one of the Ames Librarians help you with your work at the Information Desk?

What Do the Librarians Think?

What Do the Librarians Think?

• Can be more engaged with students who bring questions to office

• Better alignment with teaching faculty office hour model

• Students seem more willing to seek us out in our office than on the desk (private vs public)

• Interaction with Info Desk students on desk improved• More time in office means increased productivity• Total Library Instruction Sessions have doubled since

the ’07/’08 school year.

Lingering Questions

• How to assess new model?• How to best market librarian research

assistance to students?• What’s next as technology and students

continue to evolve?

Questions & Thanks

Sue Stroyan, sstroyan@iwu.eduChris Sweet, csweet@iwu.edu

Stephanie Davis-Kahl, sdaviska@iwu.edu