Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Abstract

The decline in the number of face-to-face reference transactions has implications that are of concern to librarians, as well as the faculty and students we serve. A strategy to address this is to take reference to locations that are “more convenient” for users – locations where they already work, study and gather.

Three reference librarians shared their experiences with offering services in non-library settings, such as a faculty office building, a computer lab in a classroom, a student lounge, and a departmental library room. The objectives and experiences of these librarians vary, as do their specialized subject disciplines. This presentation detailed the spaces, scheduling, advertising, faculty/student relationships, evaluation/assessment strategy, and future plans unique to each locale. Handouts included a checklist of considerations for those planning mobile reference service, and a list of benefits and disadvantages from offering these services.

Disciplines

Library and Information Science

Comments

This poster was presented at Michigan Library Association 2008 Annual Conference, Kalamazoo, MI on October 23, 2008.

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