United We Stand: Divided We Fail

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United We Stand Divided We Fail?

• Challenges and Opportunities in Combining
  Service Points

Lisa R. Horowitz Coordinator of Central Reference
Services, MIT Libraries Presented to UVM
Libraries, March 28, 2008
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MIT Schools Libraries
Architecture
Engineering
Humanities
Science
Management
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Overview

• Redefining services at MIT 1998
• Envisioning reference at MIT 2002
• Single service points challenges and
  opportunities
• Issues that remain today

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Redefining Services at MIT

• Values statement
• Service priorities
• New organizational plan
• Internal communication plan
• Performance measurement plan

http//libstaff.mit.edu/rorr/top.html
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Redefining Services at MIT, 2
Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning
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Envisioning Reference
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Envisioning Reference, 2

• Staff input
• User input
• Values
• Vision
• Implementation plan

http//libstaff.mit.edu/refcomm/RefVision/
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Envisioning Reference, 3
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Current Structure

• Self-Help at all hours
• Ask Us! virtual service
• Library service desks
• Research and Instruction Program

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Combining Service Desks
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MIT Libraries Service Desks Before
Circulation
Reserves
Research Consultations
Virtual and Remote Reference
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MIT Libraries Service Desks After

• One service desk in each unit
• Cross-trained staff
• Consultations with experts
• Extensive outreach, marketing and instruction
  encouraged of subject specialists

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Challenges

• Issues raised by reference staff
• Circulation tasks
• Quality of reference

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Challenges, 2

• Issues raised by circulation staff
• Potential for Turf Wars
• More responsibility, same pay?
• Learning and maintaining reference/ information
  skills is time consuming

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Opportunities

• For reference
• Visibility
• Reallocation of time for more impact
• Greater interaction with customers
• Circulation informs collections

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Opportunities, 2

• For circulation
• Education/experience
• Increased confidence when answering information
  questions
• More effective use of staff time

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Opportunities, 3

• One-stop shopping
• Unified public service face
• More effective use of library staff
• Mobility
• Mutual respect amongst staff groups
• Camaraderie

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Issues that Remain

• Where does reference really take place?
• How much circ should be known and understood by
  all staff?
• What kind of training plan is most effective?

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Conclusion
Happy staff!
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Questions?
Lisa R. Horowitz Coordinator of Central Reference
Services MIT Libraries lisah_at_mit.edu 617-253-9353
Flanagan, Pat, and Lisa Horowitz. Exploring
New Service Models Can Consolidating Public
Service Points Improve Response to Customers
Needs? Journal of Academic Librarianship, 26.5
(2000) 329-338. Gass, Steve, Pat Flanagan, and
Lisa Horowitz. Envisioning Reference at MIT.
Science Technology Libraries 24.3/4 (2004)
309-325.