PARTNERING WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT THE REFERENCE DESK: A MODEL FOR SUCCESS
Jeffrey A. Franks
For the past several decades constantly changing technologies have driven innovations in teaching, scholarly research, and communication. Academic librarians have embraced these innovations and incorporated them into daily practice through hard work and ingenuity. In recent years the pace of change and innovation has become continuous. Students now need and expect to receive technical support and reference service simultaneously. Over a relatively short period of time information technology and the ability to locate and use scholarly information have become inextricably bound together. In addition to “Can you help me find books on global warming?” we now routinely hear “Can you help me set up my laptop for the wireless network?” and “I can’t open the file my professor sent in an e-mail; can you help?” These examples represent but a small fraction of the growing number of technical queries that users now present at reference desks. Some reference librarians have added new skill sets to their traditional reference arsenal; many others have come to rely on some degree of assistance from campus IT units.
BUILDING A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The University of Akron Libraries (UL) have a long tradition of innovative partnering with the university’s Information Technology Services (ITS). Over a decade ago the two campus units worked together to pioneer a campuswide wireless laptop program. ITS also established a branch of its Technology Learning Support Center at Bierce Library, one of three campus libraries and the main undergraduate library. Though not physically near the reference desk, the presence of the Support Center in the main library facilitated the resolution of the most common IT issues for users.
One could argue that the ultimate incarnation of the reference/IT partnership is the learning commons, where a variety of services are provided in one location. In recent years, the UL and ITS have worked with other campus units to develop a service model for a learning commons to be constructed in Bierce. During the learning commons planning process, both units gained a shared understanding of how the services of each could be enhanced by the presence of the other. Ultimately, whatever the method, academic library users need IT assistance, and they need it now.
WHY WAIT?
All worthwhile efforts take time. Designing, constructing, and equipping a learning commons is under way but will take months to complete. In the meantime, why should students, faculty, and staff, or for that matter reference and IT service providers, wait? The Bierce Library reference department decided to initiate the new model of seamless reference and IT service in advance of the learning commons. The head of reference and the manager of the Learning Technology Support Center, together with key staff, designed a program, and the new service model was officially implemented at the start of the 2009 fall semester.
IDENTIFYING USER EXPECTATIONS
Our program objectives and logistics are based on key aspects of the learning commons concept. One of the most important aspects is that services should be developed around student needs. To identify those needs the reference department logged all questions asked of reference staff for one month and analyzed them to identify the most common IT issues. A recent LibQUAL was also reviewed and Support Center personnel were consulted. The following list reflects the most common technical issues that students presented at the reference desk:
General issues
Laptop issues
Web-based course instruction issues (using Springboard)
Office 2007 issues
CREATING A SEAMLESS SERVICE
To respond quickly and efficiently to the above types of queries, the new model includes a highly trained IT Support Center student assistant working side by side with reference providers at a single service point, the reference desk. This arrangement provides a mechanism for reference personnel to coordinate initial queries quickly and refer technical issues to the IT student assistant. In this way the disconnect that occurs when services are located separately is eliminated and users are provided with a more seamless service.
Which queries do we refer? Reference personnel, especially student assistants or peer helpers, are able to assist users with many basic technical issues. Some issues require additional technical expertise, and there are times when all reference personnel are assisting with reference inquiries. For these reasons the IT student usually fields all but the most basic technical queries.
Another component of the model is visibility. All reference and IT student assistants or peer helpers are clearly identified by brightly colored T-shirts with university logos and the words “Ask Me” on the back. This visibility is essential when peer helpers are away from the service desk performing their roving duties.
DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM
The new model includes a comprehensive IT training program for all UL public service staff and student assistants, with particular emphasis on reference peer helpers. The most highly trained IT Support Center students are called “lead technicians.” Using the above list of issues as a starting point, these individuals worked closely with the reference department to develop a training program that addresses the most common technical issues relevant to the information and reference process. Reference peer helpers were the first group to be trained. Once their training was completed, training was offered to other UL public service staff and student assistants.
Training is performed by the lead technicians at the Support Center and is flexible enough to be conducted in a one-on-one or small group venue, depending on the specific learning styles of individuals. It is supported by training documents, online tutorials, and a Support Center wiki.1 New reference students are trained when hired. New students and staff in other departments may receive training from a lead technician on request or, if they prefer, they may be trained by one of their peers who have completed the training. Training objectives include the following:
An assessment of training outcomes is a key aspect of the training program and is to include methods to measure the effectiveness of the training program, including post-tests for trainees and user surveys, and mechanisms for providing regular formal and informal feedback to the head of reference services and the manager of technology learning support services.
Most library users do not differentiate between information needs and technology needs when they come to the library to complete their research and assignments. They do not know, nor should they need to know, the difference between a librarian and an IT specialist. Eliminating the confusion and the obstacle of having to go to separate service points for different types of assistance enhances the learning process and contributes to academic success. By forging ahead with this program we have achieved a more seamless, blended service that combines the expertise of reference providers with the special skills of IT personnel at one service location.
Note
1. University of Akron Support Center wiki: http://support.uakron.edu/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.