ReShaping Library Service Programming: New Strategies for the New Millennium

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Re-Shaping Library Service ProgrammingNew
Strategies for the New Millennium

• Daryl C. Youngman
• Kansas State University
• 23d Annual Conference
• International Association of Technological
  University Libraries
• IATUL
• June 4, 2002

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Times are Changing-But Are Libraries Really
Changing?

• Library Technology Has Changed
• Library Users Have Changed
• Library Changes- Are they evident and substantive
  from the users perspective?
• Librarians can choose to change, or risk becoming
  irrelevant.

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Re-Shaping Library ServicesRequiresProgressing
on Several Fronts

• Change the fundamental service focus
• Recognize modern information-seeking habits
• Consider new roles for librarians
• Ongoing assessment of service

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Changing The Service Focus-How Do Librarians
View Their Mission?

• Librarian-centered vs. Patron-Centered
• Budd, 2001
• Content-Centered vs. Knowledge-Centered
• Content Focus how many books books
  journals?
• Knowledge Focus- is learning enhanced?
• Smith, 2000

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Recognizing Modern User Habits

• 24 Hours/remote access
• Point of use/time of need
• Users dont know all that stuff -Weiler
• Need for Librarian- in person or virtually
• at home there is no one to help -Grodzins-Lipow

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New Roles for Librarians-Enhanced Participation
in Learning

• Course Development Phase
• Librarians participate on course/curriculum
  design team
• Teaching Phase
• 24 x 7 online reference sources integrated into
  course
• Virtual (online) reference
• Participate in instruction within
  online-delivered courses
• Evaluation phase- librarians and course
  instructors
• Define competencies and measures
• Assess effectiveness of programs services

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More New Roles

• Information Literacy
• Joint Responsibility of University and Library-
  ACRL
• Librarians have skills and partnering
  opportunities
• Content Development
• Digital Libraries
• Distance library instruction modules

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Information Literacy Challenges

• U.S. Students have little formal, standardized
  training
• Belief that information access and use of
  technology is easy
• Popular usage vs. effective research usage
• Pointof-use Time-of-need instruction-
  Grodzins-Lipow
• Librarians partnering with course instructors

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Service Assessment Why?

• Increasing User Expectations
• Need for optimizing use of existing resources
• Staff
• Financial
• Validate enhancements gained from knowledge-based
  service model
• Remain in touch with modern users/remain relevant

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A Service Assessment Outline

• Establish Benchmarks
• Adopt a Primary Survey Instrument- LibQual,
  et.al.
• Clarification Before, During After- Focus
  Groups
• Adopt Specialized Assessment Tools as Indicated
• Continue Cycle of Assessment/Improvement
• Communicate to Users!

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A Re-Shaped Service Model

• Challenges existing views of the library service
  mission
• Patron centered, and knowledge centered view
• Recognizes information seeking habits of modern
  users
• Moves Librarians into new roles
• Addresses information literacy realities
• Is linked to ongoing assessment program

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ConclusionThe Future Looks Good!

• Users and Technology have both changed
• Libraries can re-shape their service mission and
  remain relevant
• Librarians can effectively move into new roles
• Ongoing assessment can ensure best use of
  resources and continuing relevance.

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Selected Sources

• Budd, John M. Information Seeking in Theory and
  Practice Rethinking Public Services in
  Libraries. Reference User Services Quarterly
  40 (2001) 256-263.
•  Grodzins Lipow, Anne. Who Will Give Reference
  Service in the Digital Environment? Reference
  User Services Quarterly 37 (1997) 125-129.
•  Smith, Kenneth R. New Roles and
  Responsibilities for the University Library
  Advancing Student Learning Through Outcomes
  Assessment. ARL 213 (2000) 2-5.
• Weiler, Angela. Two-Year College Freshman and
  the Internet Do They Really Know All That
  Stuff?. Portal Libraries and the Academy 1.2
  (2001) 161-167. July 23, 2001.
  Http//muse.jhu.edu/journals/portal_libraries_and_
  the_academy/v001/1.2weiler.html

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Contact Information

• Daryl C. Youngman
• Chair of Science Libraries
• Associate Professor
• Kansas State University
• Manhattan, Kansas
• Dyou_at_ksu.edu