Do You Know Where Your Points of Service Are?

Expanding the Face-to-Face Reference Encounter

at Stony Brook University© Susan P. Lieberthal

Business LibrarianStony Brook University Libraries

Susan.lieberthal@stonybrook.edu

Abstract

Both learner and librarian are still physically in the library building when it comes to accessing books and paper journals. The book stacks at the Melville library are located on the third floor with the reference desk located in the central reading room on the first floor. In March 2006 librarians positioned themselves on the third floor across from the circulation desk for 7 hours a week. During this time the librarian had an average of 4 transactions per hour as compared to 2.8 transactions per hour at the first floor reference desk. 48% of the questions answered were directional in nature. However 39% of transactions were assistance with how to use STARS, Stony Brook’s online catalog or were in-depth reference transactions. There is a need for face-to-face reference assistance at the point of service, in this case in close proximity to the book collection.

Rationale for Added Reference Desk

The layout of the Melville Library is complex. The Reference desk is in the Central Reading Room on the first floor. The Circulation desk is on the third floor where the book stacks begin. The book stacks are on the second, third and fourth floors with access to these stacks only through the third floor. As a result of this, reference librarians who send students and faculty up to the book stacks are unable to follow up to see if these users are successful in their search or if they need additional help. It was decided by the Reference team to provide reference assistance on the third floor several hours a week to see if library users would find it helpful. This project reflects a continuation of outreach attempts by the Reference and Instruction Departments.

Flowchart of the Point of Service Reference Project

Data is gathered during March 2006 for:* Upstairs Reference Desk*Central Reading Room Reference Desk*Online Chat *Email

Architectural constraints

Literature SearchSimilar services described in the literature include Point of Service and Roving Reference (although no outreach projects being done within the library itself)

Advantages:· Opportunities for in-depth reference

interview and follow-up· Convenience of providing reference

on the third floor · New point of service space· Closer collaboration with Circulation

staff · Assistance with improving and

repositioning signage for stacks

Disadvantages: · Additional staff time needed to

provide expanded reference· Lack of Reference Collection

monographs for backup

StatisticsStatistics analyzed. There is a need for reference in the upstairs stacks.

Next StepsRoving Reference (Summer 2006)

Seeking Additional Points of Service (Ongoing)Marketing Service (Fall 2006)

Satisfaction Survey (Fall 2006)

Reference Team Reference librarians feel some students’ reference needs are not being met

Central Reading Room Reference Desk

Stairs going up to Stacks on Third Floor

Percent of Transactions by Type for Upstairs and Downstairs Reference Desks

March 2006

Number of Transactions for Downstairs Reference Desk, Upstairs

Reference Desk, Email and Chat

Hours tracked in March 2006. Statistics taken from busiest period for each service.

46 hours for Reference various times of weekday

26 hours for Upstairs Reference Mon-Thurs. 2-4 P.M.

92 hours for chat 1-5 P.M. weekdays

62 hours Email 9-11 A.M. daily

Book Check-In with Maps of Stacks (not helpful)

Sign Indicating Location of Books (very helpful)

Snapshot Reference Statistics, March 20, 2006, 2-3 P.M.

Upstairs Reference

Downstairs Reference

Sample Reference/Database Questions

DATABASES/REFERENCE

Census of Population & housing - summary tape 1

IIMP, Wilson, JSTOR (1/2 hour phone)

NY Times historical - political cartoons of 1954

Downstairs Reference Upstairs Reference

Sample STARS/Book Questions

STARS

Sophocles

Searching STARS: Books on Van Gogh

(Returned to put book on hold) Couldn't find book. Didn't realize it was oversize.

Downstairs Reference Upstairs Reference

Temporary Reference Service Area #2

Temporary Reference Service Area #1

Reference Service Area Across from Circulation Desk

Future Roving Reference Projects

• Roving Reference – Providing reference assistance at the Student Activities Center (Summer 2006)

• Seeking Additional Points of Service (Ongoing)• Marketing Service (Fall 2006)• Conduct User Satisfaction Survey (Fall 2006) • Try to see if this service targets third and fourth year undergraduates. The roving

librarians at Simon Fraser University have found that their “Ask Us HERE!” mobile reference service succeeded with third and fourth year undergraduates.

“The vast majority of users were third- or fourth-year undergraduate students between the ages of 20 and 25. They tended to be heavy users of the library and the library’s electronic resources but were infrequent users of reference services.”

Wong, Sandra and Anne O’Shea. (2004) “Librarians have left the building: Ask Us HERE! At Simon Fraser University”. Feliciter (50) 3: 92.

The Successful Reference Interview

“…research supports earlier studies that show that successful interactions at the reference desk happen only when effective reference interviews are conducted.”

Ross, Catherine Sheldrick and Kirsti Nilsen. (2000) “Has the internet changed anything in reference?” Reference & User Services Quarterly (40) 2: 155.

Comment: The upstairs reference project has provided additional opportunities to conduct in-depth reference interviews. The low, open desk encourages longer interactions. Students find it easy to ask a follow-up question without having to go down to the Downstairs Reference Desk.

Service for a Large Minority of Users

“In the Leavey Library [University of Southern California] survey, only 36.3 percent of the undergraduates use the library to check out a book, and 12 percent of them come to the library to use print journals and magazines as compared to the 61.3 percent who come to use a computer for class work.”

Gardner, Susan and Susanna Eng. (2005) “What students want: Generation Y and the changing function of the academic library”. portal: Libraries and the Academy(5) 3: 410.

Comment: 48.3 % of students come to the library seeking print items and many of them might need help searching and accessing materials. This is a good time to interact with this large minority of students. A print-seeking query might lead to further reference/database inquiries by the user.

Conclusion

“We still need to take reference where it’s needed the most, as well as emphasize the social interactions that add value to our collections.”

Huwe, Terence K.(2003) “Casting a wider net with roving reference.” Computers in Libraries 23(3): 34.