Public Services in Special Collections · 55
of the public services librarians who conduct the primary outreach activities and proctor the majority of the
classes. However, curators are now seeing the benefits of outreach and beginning to proctor more classes each
semester. Support staff have also been trained by the public services staff so that they too may be available
to proctor classes. This week alone there are 16 classes scheduled. It is a very exciting and intense time in the
department.”
“In recent years we have taken the following measures to increase the quality and quantity of our public
services:
1. Hired a full-time public services coordinator with one-full time and two part-time assistants
2. Hired a Research Services Archivist to coordinate research services for manuscripts and archives
3. Encouraged professional and curatorial staff to increase outreach and bibliographic instruction activities
4. Made the research room available whenever needed to support these activities.”
“Increase in number of presentations by curators to both undergraduate and graduate classes, as well as
participation in information fairs for incoming students and presentations at residence halls by a number
of staff members has resulted in increased patron usage and preparation time in pulling together material
specific items for display presentations by the director of the Oral History Center to classes and community
groups have led to an increased level of donations and usage of oral histories.”
“Increase in team teaching with general instruction librarians. Steady rise in off-site e-mail queries directly
coming to Special Collections and forwarded through general reference. Increased graduate student interest
in Special Collections. Increased use of manuscript collections as result of improved access through online
catalog and TARO.”
“Increased access to the public increased outreach, exhibits, lectures.”
“Increased campus outreach increased classroom presentations increased presentations to interested
community groups.”
“Increased instruction sessions offered to faculty and students which has resulted in increased use in the
collections. Added evening and Saturday hours which allows for working people and students from other
institutions to visit which increases patron use.”
“Increased outreach to undergraduate students initiated partnership and collaboration with teaching
departments strengthened liaison activities. Result: a significant increase in on-site use.”
“Increases in instruction sessions taught. Collaboration with outside departments for exhibits requires heavy
involvement from staff and departmental faculty.”
“Increasing numbers of classes are using Special Collections so that undergraduate students are in touch with
authentic materials and using primary sources for their research. It’s keeping us hopping! The percentage of
undergraduate users in our reading room continues to go up.”
“Increasing outreach to undergraduates, grad students, and the public targeting specific classes which we can
support book talks and other events sponsoring showings of movies with tie-ins to our collections.”
“Large increase in e-mail contact as a result of online finding aids and exhibitions. Increase in requests for
digital reproductions.”
“Library renovation project has resulted in Special Collections moving out of the main library building to off-
of the public services librarians who conduct the primary outreach activities and proctor the majority of the
classes. However, curators are now seeing the benefits of outreach and beginning to proctor more classes each
semester. Support staff have also been trained by the public services staff so that they too may be available
to proctor classes. This week alone there are 16 classes scheduled. It is a very exciting and intense time in the
department.”
“In recent years we have taken the following measures to increase the quality and quantity of our public
services:
1. Hired a full-time public services coordinator with one-full time and two part-time assistants
2. Hired a Research Services Archivist to coordinate research services for manuscripts and archives
3. Encouraged professional and curatorial staff to increase outreach and bibliographic instruction activities
4. Made the research room available whenever needed to support these activities.”
“Increase in number of presentations by curators to both undergraduate and graduate classes, as well as
participation in information fairs for incoming students and presentations at residence halls by a number
of staff members has resulted in increased patron usage and preparation time in pulling together material
specific items for display presentations by the director of the Oral History Center to classes and community
groups have led to an increased level of donations and usage of oral histories.”
“Increase in team teaching with general instruction librarians. Steady rise in off-site e-mail queries directly
coming to Special Collections and forwarded through general reference. Increased graduate student interest
in Special Collections. Increased use of manuscript collections as result of improved access through online
catalog and TARO.”
“Increased access to the public increased outreach, exhibits, lectures.”
“Increased campus outreach increased classroom presentations increased presentations to interested
community groups.”
“Increased instruction sessions offered to faculty and students which has resulted in increased use in the
collections. Added evening and Saturday hours which allows for working people and students from other
institutions to visit which increases patron use.”
“Increased outreach to undergraduate students initiated partnership and collaboration with teaching
departments strengthened liaison activities. Result: a significant increase in on-site use.”
“Increases in instruction sessions taught. Collaboration with outside departments for exhibits requires heavy
involvement from staff and departmental faculty.”
“Increasing numbers of classes are using Special Collections so that undergraduate students are in touch with
authentic materials and using primary sources for their research. It’s keeping us hopping! The percentage of
undergraduate users in our reading room continues to go up.”
“Increasing outreach to undergraduates, grad students, and the public targeting specific classes which we can
support book talks and other events sponsoring showings of movies with tie-ins to our collections.”
“Large increase in e-mail contact as a result of online finding aids and exhibitions. Increase in requests for
digital reproductions.”
“Library renovation project has resulted in Special Collections moving out of the main library building to off-
