[Publib] Roving Reference

[Donna Bacon]

Our library started a roving reference plan last Summer and I'm proud to say
it is going well for us.  We are a public library in Springfield, MO that
has a main facility and 8 branches.  It has changed how we think about
reference service.  I tell my staff that we are now being more proactive in
offering service instead of reactive. The traditional idea of the librarian
behind a large reference desk waiting for someone to have a question is
almost gone for us.  We decided not to wear phone head-sets or carry a
laptop or a PDA but instead to put more computers out in the stacks (mostly
on endpanels) that are setup as OPAC's but can also allow staff to login as
a staff person and use our online products or circulation system.  However,
we find that most of our work ends up being on the online catalog.  We have
only put these new computers (self contained--the CPU is self-contained in
the monitor so it is all one piece that is mounted) in one of our branches
so far.  We have issues with power in some of our buildings.  Since we have
wireless at all locations, that is not a problem, but power is certainly an
issue that we are working on.  

We have also begun replacing our large reference desks with very small
stations positioned throughout our buildings.  Our Director wanted us to not
have any desks at all, but I felt it was important having a base somewhere
for staff.  After roving myself, (we have 4 hour shifts) I could see the
need to at least rest my feet and I wasn't quite ready to give up a spot
where the public could at least go to for help.  I know some libraries have
given up desks completely. So, as long as I call them stations and not
desks, my Director seems happy.  We will have portable phones at the
stations, a computer, and a 3 drawer file cabinet.  That is it.  We have
interfiled our ready reference materials with our reference books.  The idea
is to be able to have the patron stand next to you while looking at a
computer.  Our stations are "patron friendly".  Our main research facility
will be implementing the new stations this Summer and rearranging our
stacks.  

Each staff person that roams keeps track on a separate statistical sheet
(that we adapted from King County Library, WA) of what is happening on the
floor (reference question, help declined, behavior issue).  This is working
well for us.  Each branch has a different way of assigning staff to rove.
We spent a huge amount of time planning this, evaluating reference duties
(and moving collection development to a centralized spot taking the pressure
off the staff and giving them more time to rove).  We are also in the middle
of implementing print management so staff are not retrieving printouts for
patrons.  We have written procedures for the roving process.  Staff was one
of our biggest hurdles, especially those that have worked in libraries for
many years.  We also found that approaching a patron is a lot different than
standing behind a desk and waiting for a question.  Some staff are good at
this and others are not.  We also learned how to approach someone and how
not to, and how to decide when to leave someone alone.  It has also helped
make patrons aware that we are there, and provides more security for our
buildings, and we now find patrons approach us more readily when we are just
walking through the building.  

Well, a long way of saying, no, we don't carry laptops or phone gadgets, but
we still manage to rove and help our patrons.  Some of our branches have
downsized their desks and others have purchased stations.  Roving is an
attitude that you have to teach your staff and a very different way of
offering reference service than we learned in library school!  I have worked
in libraries for almost 30 years and I had to readjust my thinking and find
a way to help lead our reference staff into this new environment.  We
wouldn't go back....

Donna Bacon
District Reference Manager
Springfield-Greene County Library, MO

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of smoulder at nc.rr.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 8:21 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Roving Reference

Hello all those in library-land...

I am curious to find out if there are library systems that have 
instituted a formal roving reference service and *are not* using 
handheld PCs or OPACs.  I would assume that this would entail 
approaching a customer in the stacks, finding out that they need a book 
on sick building syndrome, asking them to follow you to a OPAC where 
you look it up, then escorting the patron back to the stacks and 
locating the book for them.  We are a mid-sized public library, 18000 
sq. ft., with about 22,000 visitors a month, and 5 full-time reference 
staff members.

If you prefer, you may reply to me off list.

Sana Moulder
Fayetteville NC
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