Reference Revamp: A 1-2 Model for Training and Tiered Services

Hoffner, Courtney; Worsham, Doug; Myers, Bethany; Osuna-Garcia, Antonia; Bowline, Estéfani; Pham, Kate

doi:10.1080/02763869.2021.1912573

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Given the increased use of various technologies to serve library patrons during the pandemic, these findings also suggest there is a need to revisit and potentially restructure reference services. This may involve exploring distributed staffing models (such as tiered reference models), assessing the effectiveness of technologies used for delivering reference services during the global health crisis, and reflecting on the future of reference services [ 16 – 17 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians

Charbonneau

Vardell

2022

jmla

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives: The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the scope and adaptive nature of reference services provided by academic health sciences librarians over a one-year period (between March 2020 and March 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In March 2021, academic health sciences librarians in the United States were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about their experiences providing reference services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey was developed, pretested, and distributed to various listservs. Results: A total of 205 academic health sciences librarians and other information professionals with health sciences liaison responsibilities in the US (N=205) responded to the online survey. The scope of reference services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic included email-based reference services (97%), virtual reference (89%), telephone (80%), text-based (33%), and in-person (31%). The most common types of COVID-related reference questions included COVID-19 treatments (53%), safety precautions (46%), vaccines (41%), and prevalence (38%). Additionally, the identification of challenging reference questions and examples of misinformation were provided by respondents. Conclusions: The results of the survey characterize the evolving nature and scope of academic health sciences reference work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Librarians reported an increase in reference questions during the pandemic and are answering them in creative ways despite barriers (e.g., limited time and reduction in resources). There is an opportunity for librarians to continue to address COVID-related misinformation. Overall, these findings provide useful insight for library practitioners and administrators planning reference services during public health crises.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians

Charbonneau

Vardell

2022

jmla

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…When training student staff to provide collaborative tiered reference support for three science libraries, Hoffner et al. (2021, p. 192) note the anticipation of the “variety and complexity of research needs” requires a dynamic training structure including both practical and theoretical learning.…”

Section: Literature/landscape Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborative research services: a peer-led cohort approach

Johnson

Bowline²,

King³

et al. 2023

RSR

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposePrior to 2020, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Library's research services spanned multiple service points. Multiple locations were staffed by Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs) and each location was supervised independently. While efforts to increase collaboration had been underway, much of the work and services remained siloed and often duplicated training and service hours.Design/methodology/approachWith the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), UCLA Library rapidly transitioned from entirely in-person to entirely online services. With multiple service points pivoting, UCLA was redundant to have multiple online desks providing Zoom appointments and that quickly became apparent. Moreover, transitioning in-person student work to remote work was paramount to providing both normal services to users and allowing LSRAs to keep jobs during a time of uncertainty and insecurity.FindingsWhile the authors' original consolidation of services and implementation of shared supervision was a result of the pandemic and primarily involved online services, the authors have maintained this shared approach and collaborative vision in returning to in-person services. For the past year, the authors have offered shared in-person (at two library locations) and online services. As subject-specific library locations begin to reopen their desks, the authors continue to identify ways to leverage shared supervision and a robust referral model for those on-site services while negotiating student staffing and the need for both general and subject-specific services.Originality/valueThe authors present a novel approach to peer-to-peer teaching and learning and research services and shared student worker supervision with services coordinated across multiple locations and disciplines within a large academic library serving a large student population.

show abstract

“…Kimbel Library knew that peer reference is a successful and thriving service model at many libraries, but it turned out that we were not the only program that had encountered this problem. Librarians at the UCLA Science Libraries reported in 2021 that they came to the realization that “declining desk interactions … caused a decline in substantial reference interactions for Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs), rendering the time-intensive training inefficient and resulting in a poor professional experience …” (Hoffner et al ., 2021, p. 192). This was even more dire than it might otherwise be because their peer research assistants were library science graduate students doing internships to help prepare them for future careers – if these students sat at “low traffic service desks for the better part of their internships” (Hoffner et al ., 2021, p. 188), they would lose out on the very benefits that their internship had promised them.…”

Section: Focusing On Reference Service At Kimbel Library How Did Chan...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Librarians at the UCLA Science Libraries reported in 2021 that they came to the realization that “declining desk interactions … caused a decline in substantial reference interactions for Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs), rendering the time-intensive training inefficient and resulting in a poor professional experience …” (Hoffner et al ., 2021, p. 192). This was even more dire than it might otherwise be because their peer research assistants were library science graduate students doing internships to help prepare them for future careers – if these students sat at “low traffic service desks for the better part of their internships” (Hoffner et al ., 2021, p. 188), they would lose out on the very benefits that their internship had promised them. Librarians at UCLA Science Libraries were able to redesign their internship program by moving the intensive training to an online format and implementing a tiered reference model so that interns could get some reference experience but also branch out into helping librarians with other projects and activities that would help them gain desired pre-professional experience.…”

Section: Focusing On Reference Service At Kimbel Library How Did Chan...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer reference, post reference desk: what is next? An interview with Allison Faix, instruction coordinator and librarian at Coastal Carolina University

Faix

2023

RSR

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeKimbel Library used a peer reference model of service beginning in 2009 that was successful for several years but eventually phased out due to shifting priorities and needs. This article aims to describe Kimbel Library's second attempt at creating and using a peer reference program in 2018, how it was different from the original approach, and what ultimately happened.Design/methodology/approachIn this article Reference Services Review Co-editor Sarah Barbara Watstein interviews Allison Faix, Instruction Coordinator and Librarian at Coastal Carolina University, about her experiences with peer reference services.FindingsBecause of the marked decline in the number of research-based questions asked at the library's help desk, the library found itself with smart, well-trained peer research assistants who were disappointed that their research assistance was not in greater demand.Originality/valueThis interview looks at two different ways that peer reference was implemented at the same institution starting in 2009.

show abstract

Reference Revamp: A 1-2 Model for Training and Tiered Services

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians

The impact of COVID-19 on reference services: a national survey of academic health sciences librarians

Collaborative research services: a peer-led cohort approach

Peer reference, post reference desk: what is next? An interview with Allison Faix, instruction coordinator and librarian at Coastal Carolina University

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About