Search results

This study aims to investigate the reference and public service models used at academic libraries in the California State University system.

This exploratory study used a qualitative mixed methods design with an online survey and follow-up interviews with public services librarians.

The majority of the libraries in this study continue to use a traditional reference model with a physical desk staffed by librarians. Some libraries have moved to tiered or on-call reference using students and staff to triage patron questions. The majority of libraries’ public service points also follow a traditional configuration with separate service points for reference and other library public services.

As this research is limited to one public university system, the results may not be generalizable to all academic libraries. Replicating this research in other systems would increase the generalizability of the results and allow for the generation of potential best practices for reference models and public service point configurations.

Librarians who are considering changes to their reference models and service point layouts can use the results as a starting point for conversations about the benefits and challenges of various models as well provide support to create an environment where changes to the models can be successfully implemented.

This study is one of the few to investigate multiple academic libraries’ approaches to reference and public services in the research literature. As such, it addresses a gap in the literature that case studies alone cannot fill.

The purpose of this article is to revisit Kimbel Library’s peer reference program three years later and provide further information on the challenges and benefits of growing a successful peer reference service model.

This article examines the ongoing development of a peer reference model in an academic library setting and assesses the impact, value and continuing evolution of this model.

Communication and collaboration among library public service departments is the key to managing rapid program growth and expansion of services.

This article offers suggestions based on the experiences of one library for others interested in establishing or reexamining a peer reference service model.

Employing undergraduate students at the reference desk is a relatively new practice that warrants further analysis, as it becomes more widespread. This article returns to examine a newly established peer reference program three years after its beginning.

This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy. It provides an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various library types, study populations and research contexts. The selected bibliography is useful to efficiently keep up with trends in library instruction for busy practitioners, library science students and those wishing to learn about information literacy in other contexts.

This article annotates 424 English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations, theses and reports on library instruction and information literacy published in 2021. The sources were selected from the EBSCO platform for Library, Information Science, and Technology Abstracts (LISTA), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and WorldCat, published in 2021 that included the terms “information literacy,” “library instruction,” or “information fluency” in the title, abstract or keywords. The sources were organized in Zotero. Annotations summarize the source, focusing on the findings or implications. Each source was categorized into one of seven pre-determined categories: K-12 Education, Children and Adolescents; Academic and Professional Programs; Everyday Life, Community, and the Workplace; Libraries and Health Information Literacy; Multiple Library Types; and Other Information Literacy Research and Theory.

The paper provides a brief description of 424 sources and highlights sources that contain unique or significant scholarly contributions.

The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested as a quick and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy within 2021.

This study investigated the skill development of academic reference librarians. It has been assumed that skill develops over time through experience, yet workplace competencies are currently described without reference to level of expertise. Drawing on the literature of occupational sociology, the Dreyfus model is an experiential, developmental model rather than a trait or talent model, allowing the holistic exploration of skill change through analysis of reference situations as contextualized and social phenomena. Three aspects of change in skill level were investigated: the shift from reliance on rules and abstract principles to the use of real experience to guide action; the growth in ability to discern relevant information from noise in complex situations; and the increase in engaged, involved performance out of initial detachment. Analysis of interview narratives with 17 reference librarians and two reference assistants suggests that the Dreyfus model is applicable to reference skill development with some differences. Skill characteristics were discerned at four levels: beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. Observed skill criteria in the narratives were used to reorganize the mixed skill levels presented in the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of the existing state of practice in knowledge sharing in university libraries.

This is survey research which is based on an electronic questionnaire.

Results reveal that the majority of libraries investigated are quite friendly towards knowledge sharing, and the majority of librarians value the importance of knowledge sharing. Results also confirm that the knowledge that they mostly use is mainly intangible knowledge.

If knowledge‐sharing requirements of librarians while collaboratively performing reference and information services can be acknowledged, guidelines for enhancing conceptual collaborative process would be suggested.

I'm sorry I looked into the whole thing. I mean reference service in libraries and a new economic model for reference.

This study aims to explore the prevalence and librarian perceptions of no-show research appointments in academic libraries. These findings are examined in light of the literature within academic libraries and other industries (health, hospitality) with appointment models.

This paper uses an exploratory survey of reference librarians across a stratified sample of academic libraries in the USA. The findings are considered through the lens of critical theory in academic libraries.

Academic libraries lack consistent understanding and language used to describe appointment-based reference models. Librarians do not gather much reliable data on the percentage of no-show appointments and further research is needed on this topic.

Study results are limited to academic librarians in the sample who responded to the survey and indicated the availability of research appointments at their institution. The implications of this paper suggest ideas for gathering appointment statistics and evaluating the rhetoric used to advertise appointments to college students.

This research is unique in that it is the first exploratory study on the prevalence and perception of missed appointments in academic library reference models.

Recently emerged Software as a Service (SaaS)‐based services show that it is possible to curtail cost on operation and maintenance and also to reduce additional expenses required for system upgrades. It also allows creating new values by consolidating resources of individual users on a provider's platform, which is effectively applicable to library networks for resource sharing. The aim of this study is to present a next‐generation SaaS‐based library management system and its operational model. In addition, the paper seeks to discuss the availability of knowledge‐based services for the system.

First, this study analyzes trends in open library environments, as well as issues in the operation of library management systems. Second, it examines differences between reference models of SaaS and those of ASP solutions, and case studies on recent applications of the approaches are also performed. Third, the study forecasts effects expected when the SaaS model will be fully applied to the library network. And finally, the study presents functional requirements and an operation model of SaaS‐based library management systems.

In this study a model of a SaaS‐based system which can apply library network is presented. The model is composed of: SaaS platform comprising application service layer, common service layer and service resources; network service platform to support information sharing between participating libraries and local libraries clients.

The SaaS‐based system will enhance the economic efficiency of local library operations and make available new functionalities on an on‐demand basis. Also, its feature, such as sharing a single platform among several libraries, facilitates resource sharing and knowledge‐based services.

The purpose of this article is to summarize the different kinds of services China Academic Library and Information System (CALIS) developed and provided, in order to promote the general, detailed and specific levels of assistance to member libraries and other information institutions.

This paper focuses on six kinds of services to meet the needs of CALIS members, including “cooperated database purchasing”, “union catalog”, “interlibrary loan and document delivery”, “virtual reference”, “digital library model designing” and “training” services.

The statistics show that these services definitely facilitate resource sharing among libraries. On the other hand, more efforts should be made to make these services go from strength to strength.

Although many attempts have been made, CALIS is still faced with the challenge to develop and provide services to a higher level.

With the passage of time, the services provided attracted much attention. More and more academic libraries participated in CALIS. By now, CALIS is extending its services to more than 700 Chinese universities.

The insight into its services improves the understanding of the role CALIS played in China. At the same time, experiences and benefits obtained may be used as a demonstration for other consortia.