38 · Survey Results: Survey Questions and Responses
Mostly not, but in one library, clerical staff are staffing the reference desk.
Original cataloging is often done by paraprofessionals, and paraprofessionals often provide assistance at many service
desks (where it is hard to draw a hard line between “reference” and just general assistance).
Over time the distinctions between staff responsibilities and librarian responsibilities have become less clear. We have
hired employees with the credentials to be librarians to do staff work in some cases. Primarily, the overlap comes in
reference responsibilities, although it has also come up once or twice in teaching.
Personnel librarian is now HR Manager. Budget director is now MBA rather than MLS. Public Services director is now
a high level management professional rather than an MLS. Most of our IT positions, except for department head and
senior administrators, are IT professionals rather than MLS, although some of them have MLS degrees that are not
required of their positions. And of course most cataloging is done by staff rather than MLS librarians.
Reference
Reference is triage model. Librarians don’t serve on desks any longer. Faculty catalogers handle original cataloging only.
All copy, including addition of subject headings and some classification work, is done by non-faculty personnel.
Reference and cataloging responsibilities
Reference and copy cataloging, but not for a majority of the time
Reference desk activities and cataloging
Reference desk hours are covered by paraprofessionals. Professionals are “on call.”
Reference, catalog maintenance, cataloging
Reference, cataloging
Reference, cataloging, and mid-level management. Over 50 positions were reclassified during and after
our reorganization.
Reference, cataloging, research
Routine reference inquiries
Taking on circulation, reference, and cataloging responsibilities
Technical services: acquisitions, cataloging
Technical services: original cataloguing, project management. Frontline reference: librarians no longer have scheduled
reference except in the branches.
The Access Services staff field most service desk questions, then refer patrons to research librarians (to chat, on call, or
by appointment).
This change is not recent at our library.
Answered No N=1
This was more of a trend in the past.
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