54 · SPEC Kit 296
“As more collections materials go online, the nature of the questions reference staff handle has changed and
the visibility of the collections has grown. Some divisions note the challenge of adapting to the changes and
directions in certain fields while striving to maintain the exceptional level of reference service patrons have
come to expect. Divisions also note that they have increased their public programming and outreach. For
example, the Prints and Photographs Division offers a Web form for the public to request tours and orientation
sessions which are proving increasingly popular, and also post a quarterly ‘What’s New’ Web page to describe
recently acquired and cataloged collections. Remote researchers can more readily answer some questions for
themselves, but staff now receive a greater quantity of complex queries that require more research. Questions
about copyright and restrictions on the use of images have increased with the greater availability of digital
images. P&P’s solution has been to provide as much rights information as possible through catalog records,
Web documents, and general guidelines about the processing of assessing rights.”
“Doing more teaching have more finding aids online have more open houses.”
“Dramatically increased participation in RLG SHARES program and have loaned more rare books to
researchers in other Special Collections repositories.”
“E-mail/digital access—increase in digital access has given more flexibility in sharing and reproducing rare
materials. Impacts are: 1) new workloads 2) expectations in regard to response time is much higher 3)
increased time with undergraduates and K-12 (e.g., History Day).”
“Faculty requests for orientations are increasing, both at archives and in classrooms. E-mail and Web form
inquiries increasing. Door counts decreasing.”
“Greater emphasis on services and outreach to undergraduates and graduate students, K-12 students and
teachers. Explosion in e-mail inquiries. Complexity of reference transactions is increasing, along with demand
for quick turnaround, and expectation for full online access to collections.”
“Hire of new director [in January, 2003] who saw the need for outreach/instruction/greater presence locally
and nationally. This director recently left for a new position and we are currently in the search process for a
new director. Our instruction program had grown during this time and continues to grow. We have worked
hard to re-establish a solid relationship with the university faculty/staff through this program and continue
to reach out and have our materials and content of our materials used in a classroom setting and/or for class
projects. We primarily conduct our instruction sessions inside the library and will tailor our instruction to the
individual class curriculum and strengths of the collections. On occasion, we will go outside the library to talk
with classes about our collections.”
“Improved facilities including an electronic seminar room makes it possible for more scholars to use the
collections for teaching and research thus increasing visibility and use.”
“In 2003, Special Collections was consolidated with the University Archives and Local History Collection in
the new Archives and Research Collections Centre. This heightened the profile of the collection and allows for
more effective integration of patron research projects and instruction.”
“In fall 2005, the library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections hosted 80 classes with
attendance of 843 faculty and students. Of the 843 present, 696 were undergraduates. The increased
popularity and use of Rare Books and Special Collections has been a positive impact. A great number of
faculty are repeat visitors with their classes each semester. The results of which have been on ‘over-extension’
“As more collections materials go online, the nature of the questions reference staff handle has changed and
the visibility of the collections has grown. Some divisions note the challenge of adapting to the changes and
directions in certain fields while striving to maintain the exceptional level of reference service patrons have
come to expect. Divisions also note that they have increased their public programming and outreach. For
example, the Prints and Photographs Division offers a Web form for the public to request tours and orientation
sessions which are proving increasingly popular, and also post a quarterly ‘What’s New’ Web page to describe
recently acquired and cataloged collections. Remote researchers can more readily answer some questions for
themselves, but staff now receive a greater quantity of complex queries that require more research. Questions
about copyright and restrictions on the use of images have increased with the greater availability of digital
images. P&P’s solution has been to provide as much rights information as possible through catalog records,
Web documents, and general guidelines about the processing of assessing rights.”
“Doing more teaching have more finding aids online have more open houses.”
“Dramatically increased participation in RLG SHARES program and have loaned more rare books to
researchers in other Special Collections repositories.”
“E-mail/digital access—increase in digital access has given more flexibility in sharing and reproducing rare
materials. Impacts are: 1) new workloads 2) expectations in regard to response time is much higher 3)
increased time with undergraduates and K-12 (e.g., History Day).”
“Faculty requests for orientations are increasing, both at archives and in classrooms. E-mail and Web form
inquiries increasing. Door counts decreasing.”
“Greater emphasis on services and outreach to undergraduates and graduate students, K-12 students and
teachers. Explosion in e-mail inquiries. Complexity of reference transactions is increasing, along with demand
for quick turnaround, and expectation for full online access to collections.”
“Hire of new director [in January, 2003] who saw the need for outreach/instruction/greater presence locally
and nationally. This director recently left for a new position and we are currently in the search process for a
new director. Our instruction program had grown during this time and continues to grow. We have worked
hard to re-establish a solid relationship with the university faculty/staff through this program and continue
to reach out and have our materials and content of our materials used in a classroom setting and/or for class
projects. We primarily conduct our instruction sessions inside the library and will tailor our instruction to the
individual class curriculum and strengths of the collections. On occasion, we will go outside the library to talk
with classes about our collections.”
“Improved facilities including an electronic seminar room makes it possible for more scholars to use the
collections for teaching and research thus increasing visibility and use.”
“In 2003, Special Collections was consolidated with the University Archives and Local History Collection in
the new Archives and Research Collections Centre. This heightened the profile of the collection and allows for
more effective integration of patron research projects and instruction.”
“In fall 2005, the library’s Department of Rare Books and Special Collections hosted 80 classes with
attendance of 843 faculty and students. Of the 843 present, 696 were undergraduates. The increased
popularity and use of Rare Books and Special Collections has been a positive impact. A great number of
faculty are repeat visitors with their classes each semester. The results of which have been on ‘over-extension’
