[Publib] 50 things...

[Mark Hudson]

-----Original Message-----
From: "Louise Alcorn" <Louise.Alcorn at wdm-ia.com>
Subject: Re: [Publib] 50 things...,
To: <publib at webjunction.org>

Sue wrote: "Fortunately, reference staff doesn't have to deal with  
computer reservations, printouts, or change. "

Louise wrote: "Whereas that is the *bulk* of what our reference staff  
deal with every day."

I've worked at reference desks in several different libraries, large  
and small, public and academic, and I think they've all fallen into  
one of these two categories. Either reference librarians didn't have  
to deal with computer reservations, printouts, change, etc., or else  
that was most of what they did deal with. I think there is an  
understandable tendency for librarians when confronted with this  
issue to shrug our shoulders and say we're doing the best we can. But  
the deprofessionalization of reference librarianship implicit in the  
"tech support is reference" mindset needs to be taken seriously. If  
the "bulk" of reference work is just tech support and making change  
for printouts now, then why should libraries hire degreed librarians  
to staff reference desks?

-- 
Mark Hudson
Head of Adult Services
Monroeville Public Library
4000 Gateway Campus Blvd.
Monroeville, PA 15146
412-372-0500x13





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