University of South Florida

Throughout the history of the University of South Florida Libraries, instruction and reference have coexisted in one department, currently known as Academic Services, and as a result, have influenced each other operationally and conceptually. Desk staffing, for example, has been affected by patterns of classroom scheduling, by placing an additional librarian at the desk per night, in case they are needed to teach an incoming class. This has been driven by a philosophy of instruction that has focused on the one-shot orientation and expediency. Customization and active learning techniques have always been employed by instructional librarians, but have become more consistent over time. The influence of instructional methodology on reference, and vise versa, is strongly driven by the library’s long-standing relationship with First Year Composition (FYC). Like many academic libraries, USF has strived to have a visible and active role in the academic success of its users, while managing demand for services with quality and currency. Reference and instruction have been at the forefront of these efforts. Influenced by the Learning Commons Model and philosophy, Academic Services has attempted a number of new ways of delivering public services, which have recently culminated in a tiered, “on-call,” model of reference, with an increased reliance on virtual chat, and an assignment-specific and course-integrated method of instruction, supported by the growing production of online learning objects and services. The future of reference and instruction at USF Libraries will undoubtedly be a product of these changes and the continuous effort to redefine public services.

A Short History of Instruction in the Use of Libraries

Instruction in the use of academic libraries has a long history but was not well established as a permanent and formal part of academic libraries in the United States until well into the 20th century. It has taken many forms, but none are likely to be maintained as formal programs unless measures are taken to move them beyond the status of the efforts of single individuals. The development of information literacy as an area of study coincided with the institutionalization of instruction programs and has given academic context and form to the curricula for instruction in the use of academic libraries.

Indiana University South Bend

Indiana University South Bend is a regional campus of the eight campus, 100,000-student Indiana University system. The campus’ and Library’s relationship to the University system has evolved as the campus has grown and developed into a regional university from a university extension center. The Franklin D. Schurz Library provides a variety of instruction and reference services as a result of long term commitment by administrators and library faculty to provide up-to-date, high quality services. The core of the instruction program is a required undergraduate credit-bearing information literacy course. Budgetary and staffing constraints are faced, as they are in many academic libraries.

California State University, East Bay

At California State University, East Bay, reference is one component of a comprehensive instructional program in information literacy. Based on this approach, the focus of reference is on teachable moments on a just-in-time basis rather than a means by which users, primarily students, are simply provided with answers to their questions. This chapter provides a description of the role of reference within that context and describes the various services offered.

Reference

Reference services in libraries in the United States were first described and organized in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. However, these first attempts at formalizing “reader’s assistance” were in public libraries. Academic libraries lagged behind public libraries in the appointment of reference librarians and in the recognition of the need for reference services for their library users. The appointment of academic librarians became more common in the first quarter of the twentieth century. As academic library faculty and staff increased, so too did the use of technologies for reference services. The digitization of reference sources ushered in an era of re-evaluation and revitalization of reference services, as well as the transition to online sources and virtual services.

Reference and Instruction Services as an Integrated Approach

Reference and instruction services in academic libraries were indistinguishable in their early development but were separated administratively as libraries and their programs grew. This organizational separation is not conducive to the coordination of these services, but steps can be taken which will benefit the functioning of each area.

University of South Carolina Aiken

The University of South Carolina Aiken is a four-year regional, public, baccalaureate institution of approximately 3,200 students in rural South Carolina, established in 1961. Independent library services began in 1975, and the library now offers 40,000 square feet of materials, computing areas, office, and instruction space, supported by a faculty and staff of thirteen. The library uses a combined team of seven librarians to provide both instruction and reference services. These services are led by independent coordinators who are responsible for managing their respective programs but do not have supervisory responsibilities. The shared resources of the two teams lead to a number of synergies, including shared instruction materials, greater responsiveness, greater insight to reference questions, proactive resolution of common reference issues, and insightful collection development. However, this arrangement also leads to challenges due to limited financial resources, personnel resources, development opportunities, and balancing workloads between the two services throughout the semester. A new course was also added to general education requirements in the fall of 2011 that made information literacy a key component of educational outcomes early in a student’s college career. To address future development, the reference and instruction teams are expanding the online educational resources available to students and faculty, reconsidering the availability and delivery of reference services, and exploring new modes of teaching and outreach.

William Paterson University of New Jersey

This chapter is an overview of the reference and instruction services provided by librarians at David & Lorraine Cheng Library at William Paterson University of New Jersey. Included will be a brief history of the University and the library along with an overview of the reference and instruction services currently provided and the relationship to past practices, how they have evolved through the years, and what impact these services have on student learning. Cheng Library has retained the traditional reference desk that is staffed by professional librarians which continues to work well for students, although assistance is also available via email, chat and during individual research appointments. Librarians from other departments serve as reference adjuncts which allows for double coverage at the desk during peak hours on weekdays and all librarians, including the Dean, are required to conduct instruction sessions for First Year Seminar classes during the fall semester. While the FYS classes provide a cohort for assessing information literacy skills, additional assessment activities have become a component of the instruction program and reflect national trends in terms of demonstrating the value of library services and resources. All full time librarian positions are tenure track and librarians have faculty status. While budget constraints have hampered some projects, Cheng Library remains committed to providing students with the highest level of service possible, and it has been able to make significant changes to the physical space of the library in response to student needs and as a result of technology.

BGSU - Firelands College

Instruction and reference services are pivotal as well as intertwined functions of the BGSU Firelands Library. In addition to promoting a relaxed and inviting attitude toward the library, the librarians strive to keep instruction fresh and current. Instruction is often a students’ first introduction to the wealth of information available through an academic library. It further encourages them to come to the library often and take advantage of its reference services as well as its computer work stations and study accommodations - carrels, roundtables, sofa groupings, and study room. The librarians aspire to keep abreast of the new and innovative approaches to delivering both instruction and reference services in ways that efficiently and effectively meet student needs.

Library Instruction in the 21st Century

The adoption of Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy standards, the rapid development of teaching and learning technologies, and the movement toward assessment of academic programs have shaped library instruction programs as formal, conceptual areas of study with increasingly greater presences in their institutions.