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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hall, Blaine H., And Others
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 1987
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED288553
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author Hall, Blaine H.
And Others
author_facet Hall, Blaine H.
And Others
Hall, Blaine H.
And Others
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents An Evaluation of Reference Desk Service in the Brigham Young University Library. Hall, Blaine H. And Others Academic Libraries College Students Higher Education Library Personnel Library Services Library Surveys On the Job Training Program Evaluation Questionnaires Reference Services User Satisfaction (Information) Work Environment This report describes a five-part study conducted at the Brigham Young University library during the winter semester of 1987 to assess the quality of the reference service provided to library patrons by student reference assistants (SRAs) after a full semester of SRA participation in the reference patron service system. The study focused on determining: (1) the accuracy of information patrons received; (2) the level of skill SRAs used in negotiating patron needs; (3) the ability of SRAs to refer patrons to professional librarians; and (4) the degree of satisfaction patrons felt about the service they had received. The five studies included an unobtrusive question test for the SRAs and surveys of patrons, reference assistants, department assistants, and professional librarians. Following an introductory discussion, study findings are presented on the quality of reference service, the work environment, SRA training, and the professional librarian's reference desk service role. It is concluded that problems exist with the current reference service, and recommendations are presented for the areas of performance standards, training improvement, and subject specialist involvement. The study questionnaires and surveys are included in five appendices. (KM)
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_ED288553
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 1987
record_format eric
spellingShingle An Evaluation of Reference Desk Service in the Brigham Young University Library.
Hall, Blaine H.
And Others
Academic Libraries
College Students
Higher Education
Library Personnel
Library Services
Library Surveys
On the Job Training
Program Evaluation
Questionnaires
Reference Services
User Satisfaction (Information)
Work Environment
An Evaluation of Reference Desk Service in the Brigham Young University Library. Hall, Blaine H. And Others Academic Libraries College Students Higher Education Library Personnel Library Services Library Surveys On the Job Training Program Evaluation Questionnaires Reference Services User Satisfaction (Information) Work Environment This report describes a five-part study conducted at the Brigham Young University library during the winter semester of 1987 to assess the quality of the reference service provided to library patrons by student reference assistants (SRAs) after a full semester of SRA participation in the reference patron service system. The study focused on determining: (1) the accuracy of information patrons received; (2) the level of skill SRAs used in negotiating patron needs; (3) the ability of SRAs to refer patrons to professional librarians; and (4) the degree of satisfaction patrons felt about the service they had received. The five studies included an unobtrusive question test for the SRAs and surveys of patrons, reference assistants, department assistants, and professional librarians. Following an introductory discussion, study findings are presented on the quality of reference service, the work environment, SRA training, and the professional librarian's reference desk service role. It is concluded that problems exist with the current reference service, and recommendations are presented for the areas of performance standards, training improvement, and subject specialist involvement. The study questionnaires and surveys are included in five appendices. (KM)
title An Evaluation of Reference Desk Service in the Brigham Young University Library.
topic Academic Libraries
College Students
Higher Education
Library Personnel
Library Services
Library Surveys
On the Job Training
Program Evaluation
Questionnaires
Reference Services
User Satisfaction (Information)
Work Environment
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED288553