Public Services in Special Collections · 59
has been a far busier reference desk during times when assignments are due.”
“We have dramatically increased class use through increased outreach primarily focused on collaboration with
library bibliographers and reference staff, integrating presentations and class visits. Last year we held over
200 class sessions. A key element in this success was the renovation of a classroom in SCRC to a technology-
friendly space that faculty love. It includes a document camera that is changing the way faculty teach with
collections. We have also had increasing success with encouraging faculty to design courses around Special
Collections resources, not just visit once for a show-and-tell. Faculty are also developing assignments that
require students to move into our Reading Room as researchers. This is exactly what we hoped would happen
but it is a very staff-intensive activity. Another trend is the request for digital surrogates of Special Collections
materials for use on faculty course management sites. When the former Head of Public Services resigned we
hired two Reference and Instruction Librarians to lead our reference and public service efforts.”
“We have expanded instructional efforts and have some very unique offerings. For example, the Curator of the
Hawaiian Collection (part of Special Collections) offers courses for Hawaiian Studies that are taught by her in
the Hawaiian language. Both the Hawaiian Collection and Pacific Collection librarians teach regular courses
through the UH Library and Information Studies program (LIS 687 Hawaiian Resources and lIS 688 Pacific
Resources). These are graduate courses, for full credit that last a semester or summer session in duration.
Along with our regular course instruction for a variety of disciplines, such as anthropology, art, botany,
geography, history, music, political science, and others, our instructional activities have increased the use of
both our book collections and our archival and manuscript holdings.”
“We have made an aggressive push to work directly with instructors and classes, graduate and undergraduate,
in house and in classroom, and in particular, have been conspiring with three or four persons teaching
oral history to frame cooperative projects. We have also been developing digital resources to fit classroom
instructional needs.”
“We hired a Curator for Outreach, who does tours, visits, and lectures, off-site, on-site, and around campus to
undergrads and various groups detailing not only our collections but exhibits and art. I think it has increased
the visibility of the library, as has the increased amount of brochures and specialization on staff.”
“We opened a new building in August 2004 which made Special Collections much easier to find and use.”
“We provide orientation to and instruction in special collections resources, through both credit courses
and course-related teaching sessions. We have added early evening reference hours from 5:00 to 6:30 to
supplement our availability. Also, we participate in an annual Open House during which over 4000 students
visit our facility and look about our exhibition room for answers to questions to win a prize and familiarize
themselves with our holdings and services.”
“We’ve increased the number of classes to which we present—both because we have been successfully
building relationships with ‘repeater’ faculty and because we have been more aggressive in offering to do so.
We have also provided patron-used equipment in the reading room (and of course readers routinely bring
laptops and sometimes other peripheral equipment, e.g., digital cameras). Within the limits of our expertise,
we provide advice and support to patrons who wish to make use of electronic equipment. This has required
cross-training nearly all members of the staff (including student assistants) to provide at least basic assistance
in this area.“
“What had been three service points (one each for University Archives, Special Collections [rare books, mss],
has been a far busier reference desk during times when assignments are due.”
“We have dramatically increased class use through increased outreach primarily focused on collaboration with
library bibliographers and reference staff, integrating presentations and class visits. Last year we held over
200 class sessions. A key element in this success was the renovation of a classroom in SCRC to a technology-
friendly space that faculty love. It includes a document camera that is changing the way faculty teach with
collections. We have also had increasing success with encouraging faculty to design courses around Special
Collections resources, not just visit once for a show-and-tell. Faculty are also developing assignments that
require students to move into our Reading Room as researchers. This is exactly what we hoped would happen
but it is a very staff-intensive activity. Another trend is the request for digital surrogates of Special Collections
materials for use on faculty course management sites. When the former Head of Public Services resigned we
hired two Reference and Instruction Librarians to lead our reference and public service efforts.”
“We have expanded instructional efforts and have some very unique offerings. For example, the Curator of the
Hawaiian Collection (part of Special Collections) offers courses for Hawaiian Studies that are taught by her in
the Hawaiian language. Both the Hawaiian Collection and Pacific Collection librarians teach regular courses
through the UH Library and Information Studies program (LIS 687 Hawaiian Resources and lIS 688 Pacific
Resources). These are graduate courses, for full credit that last a semester or summer session in duration.
Along with our regular course instruction for a variety of disciplines, such as anthropology, art, botany,
geography, history, music, political science, and others, our instructional activities have increased the use of
both our book collections and our archival and manuscript holdings.”
“We have made an aggressive push to work directly with instructors and classes, graduate and undergraduate,
in house and in classroom, and in particular, have been conspiring with three or four persons teaching
oral history to frame cooperative projects. We have also been developing digital resources to fit classroom
instructional needs.”
“We hired a Curator for Outreach, who does tours, visits, and lectures, off-site, on-site, and around campus to
undergrads and various groups detailing not only our collections but exhibits and art. I think it has increased
the visibility of the library, as has the increased amount of brochures and specialization on staff.”
“We opened a new building in August 2004 which made Special Collections much easier to find and use.”
“We provide orientation to and instruction in special collections resources, through both credit courses
and course-related teaching sessions. We have added early evening reference hours from 5:00 to 6:30 to
supplement our availability. Also, we participate in an annual Open House during which over 4000 students
visit our facility and look about our exhibition room for answers to questions to win a prize and familiarize
themselves with our holdings and services.”
“We’ve increased the number of classes to which we present—both because we have been successfully
building relationships with ‘repeater’ faculty and because we have been more aggressive in offering to do so.
We have also provided patron-used equipment in the reading room (and of course readers routinely bring
laptops and sometimes other peripheral equipment, e.g., digital cameras). Within the limits of our expertise,
we provide advice and support to patrons who wish to make use of electronic equipment. This has required
cross-training nearly all members of the staff (including student assistants) to provide at least basic assistance
in this area.“
“What had been three service points (one each for University Archives, Special Collections [rare books, mss],
