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<title>Re: [Libs-Or] What are reference desks called these days?</title>
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<font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">What a great conversation on libs-or today!<br>
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I just blogged about this at the invitation of Cindy Romaine, the President of SLA...<br>
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<a href="http://futureready365.sla.org/08/24/public-libraries-that-are-future-ready/">http://futureready365.sla.org/08/24/public-libraries-that-are-future-ready/</a><br>
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My opinion: “Desk reference” is dead!<br>
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</span></font><font size="1"><font face="Optima, Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:9pt">Jim Scheppke, State Librarian<br>
Oregon State Library<br>
250 Winter St. NE<br>
Salem, OR 97301<br>
503-378-4367<br>
(fax) 503-585-8059<br>
<a href="jim.b.scheppke@state.or.us">jim.b.scheppke@state.or.us</a><br>
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<img src="cid:3397028126_639956"><font color="#008000">Go Green, Keep it on screen - think before you print.<br>
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<b>From: </b>Colin Rea <<a href="crea@fernridgelibrary.org">crea@fernridgelibrary.org</a>><br>
<b>Date: </b>Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:35:13 -0700<br>
<b>To: </b>libs-or List <<a href="libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us">libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [Libs-Or] What are reference desks called these days?<br>
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We just completed a renovation that was planned for in 2006. We added a new desk, originally called a reference desk in the architectural plans. When we begin to staff it in September, it will open as the ‘Answer Desk.’ It’s a much clearer representation
of the service we will provide there. I’m also going to run with the slogan ‘Ask and we shall retrieve!’…<br>
<br>
Colin M. Rea<br>
Director, Fern Ridge Library District<br>
PO Box 397<br>
88026 Territorial Road<br>
Veneta, OR 97487<br>
541.935.7512 fax 541.935.8013<br>
www.fernridgelibrary.org<br>
<img src="cid:3397028126_619453"></span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"> <<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Veneta-OR/Fern-Ridge-Public-Library/113165985463">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Veneta-OR/Fern-Ridge-Public-Library/113165985463</a>>
</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><img src="cid:3397028126_627317"></span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"> <<a href="http://twitter.com/fernridgelib">http://twitter.com/fernridgelib</a>>
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</span><font size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt"><b>From:</b> <a href="libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us">
libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a> [<a href="mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us">mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Caleb Tucker-Raymond<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 24, 2011 10:02 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="Libs-Or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us">Libs-Or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Libs-Or] What are reference desks called these days?<br>
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</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">Hello,<br>
<br>
I think it depends on what you think the reference desk is for.<br>
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Certainly, there are library patrons who think of reference service the way libraries often do: as the best place to go to get either an authoritative answer to a quick question or a comprehensive tour of a subject through library resources and beyond. But
I don't think most patrons fall into this category. <br>
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</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">We're working on coming up with a new name for L-net, our statewide reference service, and run into this same problem. Ideally we want a name somewhere between the literal "ask a librarian"
and the dreamy "answerland", but the name should describe the service, and for many people, "reference" doesn't convey a thing.
<br>
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</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">(You may enjoy John Kupersmith's "Library terms that users understand", a summary of 51 usability studies:
<a href="http://www.jkup.net/terms.html.">http://www.jkup.net/terms.html.</a>)<br>
</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">We ask patrons for feedback at the end of our L-net sessions, and in order to get a sense of how patrons describe their experience wit the service, I made a word-cloud out of their comments
(</span></font><span style="font-size:12pt"><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><a href="http://www.oregonlibraries.net/system/files/comments.png">http://www.oregonlibraries.net/system/files/comments.png</a>).
</font><font face="Times New Roman">The words that jump out that librarians don't often use to describe reference service "help" and "helpful".
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</font></span><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">So patrons come to us for help instead of for reference service. Good enough for me!<br>
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</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt">I don't know what we should call reference desks, but "information commons" seems as good a place to start as any. For me, the important thing is to *position* ourselves to give friendly
and helpful service, to act as patrons' partners in discovery rather than as authorities and gatekeepers. If we have more opportunities to give them reference service and knock their socks off, all the better.<br>
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</span></font><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br>
Caleb Tucker-Raymond<br>
<br>
Statewide Reference Service Coordinator<br>
Multnomah County Library<br>
(503) 988-5438<br>
<a href="calebt@multco.us">calebt@multco.us</a><br>
www.oregonlibraries.net <<a href="http://www.oregonlibraries.net/">http://www.oregonlibraries.net/</a>>
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On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 6:05 PM, Hope Leman <<a href="hleman@samhealth.org">hleman@samhealth.org</a>> wrote:<br>
Hi, all. I am just curious as to whether it is a librarian-led movement or pressure from non-librarians to rename what used to be reference desks. I just called the called the Oregon State University Valley Library to find out its summer hours after being confused
by the wording on the Web site:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/hours">http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/hours</a><br>
<br>
which said "Learning Commons Information Desk." As a patron, I got very befuddled and asked, "Is this what used to be the reference desk?" I wonder if other patrons are equally confused by these terms.<br>
<br>
Hope Leman, MLIS<br>
Research Information Technologist<br>
Center for Health Research and Quality<br>
Samaritan Health Services<br>
815 NW 9th Street<br>
Corvallis, OR 97330<br>
(541) 768-5712<br>
<br>
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