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PurposeLibraries spend increasingly large amounts on electronic resources (ERs), but may not have adjusted staffing to support these resources. Assisting users with ER access problems is complex due to the many reasons a resource may be unavailable at a particular time. The objective of this paper is to describe the evolution of a library ER problem‐reporting help desk.Design/methodology/approachA pilot project was undertaken by librarians at the Texas A&M University Libraries to redesign workflows and staffing to provide an efficient, effective help desk service for solving ER access problems.FindingsIncluding librarians with experience in licensing and managing ERs in providing help desk services improved response time, problem resolution, systematic information capture, and service expectations and policies, and also led to the development of an ER HelpDesk database with enhanced functionality.Practical implicationsDelegating ER problems solely to information technology (IT) staff may seem reasonable but assumes technology is the source of most problems; it is just as likely that the user, the resource, or a non‐computer‐related issue is the source. Librarians whose traditional responsibilities include supporting user access were effective in providing expert assistance with access problems. Cooperative efforts of librarians and IT staff are necessary to ensure reliable ER access.Originality/valueThis paper offers practical, experience‐derived advice on establishing and staffing an ER HelpDesk service, including the importance of involving technical services librarians in providing support.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to determine core competencies, for use as a foundation for staffing and training, and necessary to provide effective electronic resource (ER) access support. Design/methodology/approach -The authors analyzed 580 ER access problem reports in a large academic library system to measure the specific skill(s) required for effective problem resolution. Problem reports were drawn equally from two different reporting systems: one using web forms and e-mail and the other featuring real-time user interaction. Findings -Abilities fostered in reference work related to communication with users, staff, and vendors were by far the most crucial and highly used in successful problem solving, followed by the knowledge to make appropriate referrals within the organization. Research limitations/implications -Results reported are from one institution, albeit one which serves a very large user population with diverse information needs which provided a broad range of users and problem types. Practical implications -Staffing for an access support service should draw upon employees whose skill set includes assisting users with more traditional information access, such as reference, as well as employees with expertise in areas such as licensing. Originality/value -Resolving user-reported online access issues is a mission-critical library service function. The paper offers an objective demonstration that the skills leading to success in access support are the same communication skills valued in reference services and that the mechanism used for providing a virtual reference service can also be used for handling user-access problems. Identifying and ranking these skills provides structure and best practice standards for continuous training and staff assessment.

Purpose -Five web sites, five libraries, numerous departmental pages and thousands of pages of content explained, in part, why users found library resources difficult to navigate. Web redesign became a strategic initiative in 2001 and state funding enabled the purchase of a content management system (CMS). The purpose of this paper is to describe the systematic implementation of a CMS at Texas A&M Libraries Design/methodology/approach -The web implementation team (WIT) was formed to include a diverse group of people from all areas of the library and charged with responsibility for the overall management of the University Libraries' web site. Practical implications -Using a CMS to create the library's web presence is an important and expensive undertaking that requires coordinated management oversight. It also presents opportunities to reconsider the library's organizational structure and culture. Originality/value -This paper describes a management strategy that involves all areas of the organization, encourages teamwork, promotes innovation, and stays focused on organizational priorities. It discusses expected and unexpected consequences of implementing a CMS, and makes recommendations about CMS management in general.

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