14 · Survey Results: Executive Summary
collections could be either integrated into a precise
order or consolidated into many open and closed stack
arrangements.
As noted in the additions and the closures, the
most frequently consolidated service points were
service desks, media service desks, central research
desks, and expanded research commons service
points. Other notable innovations include the con-
solidations inherent in replacing service points with
virtualizations of all kinds. Likewise, many ARL li-
braries reported consolidations in their science branch
libraries, consolidating the smaller ones into the larger
ones or into the main library.
Otherwise Reconfigured
The possibilities for tweaking library service points
and branch libraries are nearly limitless. Each retooled
aspect of a service point or branch library’s operation
may be considered a reconfiguration qualifying it for
an additional inclusion in this survey. The authors cre-
ated four categories of “otherwise reconfigured” from
the many reported by respondents. These are staffing
reconfigurations, hours reconfigurations (of which
there were many), organizational reconfigurations,
and aesthetic remodeling.
The many configurations of newly consolidated
service points and branch libraries encourage chang-
ing staffing patterns to take advantage of all the local
resources, including retirements, and even serendip-
ity in lean times. Each service point and/or branch
library closing frees personnel to be reassigned to
other areas. Library staffs pushed to the brink of
barely covering the multiplicity of service points of
an old configuration are finding relief in these newly
reconfigured spaces, making institutions really able
to accomplish more with less.
Consolidated service points that combine reference
services with circulation and/or other service points
commonly included a plan for downsizing the needed
staffing. In many cases (but not all), paraprofessional
staffing and/or students provided the frontline staff-
ing in these new arrangements freeing professional
librarians for more collection development, liaison,
instruction, and/or other pursuits. Mechanisms to
provide “on call” professional assistance and/or ap-
pointments with librarians completed the change.
Another reconfiguration, consolidated/super research
desks, also benefits from the work of many to pro-
vide improved staffing. The approach taken in the
provision of service might be an improved triage of
customer needs at one service point guided by con-
sultants within the space or offsite, or two previously
separated reference services on one floor electing to
share the staffing.
Because patrons have virtual 24/7 expectations for
service that are very difficult to maintain in the physi-
cal world, library administrators are experimenting
with the provision of open hours for a given service.
At every library service point or branch library, the
hours can be increased or reduced each also may
be augmented or supplemented by other services
to create a unified whole. The more creative and in-
tricate the scheduling, the more difficult it becomes
to communicate all the many possibilities in open
hours. Online newsletters, blogs, personal email, and
RSS feeds are all virtual means employed to improve
communication.
Organizational changes figured prominently into
the service point and branch library reconfigurations
that the respondents reported. Often the result of a
library strategic plan to realign the structure of an
institution, organizational changes also emerged
through opportunities in the relationships that have
developed. Examples of the organizational changes
that accompanied reported reconfigurations include
new or realigned structures to manage new functions
or new reporting relationships created to reflect the
new service point or branch library changes made.
Examples of organizational changes that emerged
through opportunities include learning commons
collaborations, faculty and departmental relation-
ships resulting through their embedded situations,
or the changing management of departmental library
facilities (respondents reported both situations of the
library assuming the management of a departmental
library or reading room and a university department
choosing to maintain a previous library space).
Lastly, aesthetic remodeling figured prominently
in this category. Examples include actual changes to
the counter space of service points or a service point’s
location, enhancements to existing learning commons
installations, whole branch library remodels, changes
collections could be either integrated into a precise
order or consolidated into many open and closed stack
arrangements.
As noted in the additions and the closures, the
most frequently consolidated service points were
service desks, media service desks, central research
desks, and expanded research commons service
points. Other notable innovations include the con-
solidations inherent in replacing service points with
virtualizations of all kinds. Likewise, many ARL li-
braries reported consolidations in their science branch
libraries, consolidating the smaller ones into the larger
ones or into the main library.
Otherwise Reconfigured
The possibilities for tweaking library service points
and branch libraries are nearly limitless. Each retooled
aspect of a service point or branch library’s operation
may be considered a reconfiguration qualifying it for
an additional inclusion in this survey. The authors cre-
ated four categories of “otherwise reconfigured” from
the many reported by respondents. These are staffing
reconfigurations, hours reconfigurations (of which
there were many), organizational reconfigurations,
and aesthetic remodeling.
The many configurations of newly consolidated
service points and branch libraries encourage chang-
ing staffing patterns to take advantage of all the local
resources, including retirements, and even serendip-
ity in lean times. Each service point and/or branch
library closing frees personnel to be reassigned to
other areas. Library staffs pushed to the brink of
barely covering the multiplicity of service points of
an old configuration are finding relief in these newly
reconfigured spaces, making institutions really able
to accomplish more with less.
Consolidated service points that combine reference
services with circulation and/or other service points
commonly included a plan for downsizing the needed
staffing. In many cases (but not all), paraprofessional
staffing and/or students provided the frontline staff-
ing in these new arrangements freeing professional
librarians for more collection development, liaison,
instruction, and/or other pursuits. Mechanisms to
provide “on call” professional assistance and/or ap-
pointments with librarians completed the change.
Another reconfiguration, consolidated/super research
desks, also benefits from the work of many to pro-
vide improved staffing. The approach taken in the
provision of service might be an improved triage of
customer needs at one service point guided by con-
sultants within the space or offsite, or two previously
separated reference services on one floor electing to
share the staffing.
Because patrons have virtual 24/7 expectations for
service that are very difficult to maintain in the physi-
cal world, library administrators are experimenting
with the provision of open hours for a given service.
At every library service point or branch library, the
hours can be increased or reduced each also may
be augmented or supplemented by other services
to create a unified whole. The more creative and in-
tricate the scheduling, the more difficult it becomes
to communicate all the many possibilities in open
hours. Online newsletters, blogs, personal email, and
RSS feeds are all virtual means employed to improve
communication.
Organizational changes figured prominently into
the service point and branch library reconfigurations
that the respondents reported. Often the result of a
library strategic plan to realign the structure of an
institution, organizational changes also emerged
through opportunities in the relationships that have
developed. Examples of the organizational changes
that accompanied reported reconfigurations include
new or realigned structures to manage new functions
or new reporting relationships created to reflect the
new service point or branch library changes made.
Examples of organizational changes that emerged
through opportunities include learning commons
collaborations, faculty and departmental relation-
ships resulting through their embedded situations,
or the changing management of departmental library
facilities (respondents reported both situations of the
library assuming the management of a departmental
library or reading room and a university department
choosing to maintain a previous library space).
Lastly, aesthetic remodeling figured prominently
in this category. Examples include actual changes to
the counter space of service points or a service point’s
location, enhancements to existing learning commons
installations, whole branch library remodels, changes
