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Weeding An Outdated Collection In An Automated Retrieval System, Patricia Bravender, Valeria Long
Weeding An Outdated Collection In An Automated Retrieval System, Patricia Bravender, Valeria Long
Patricia Bravender
In 2008 Grand Valley State University Libraries began a large weeding project in the automated retrieval system (ARS) at its Steelcase Library. An estimated 19,000 volumes were to be removed from the ARS. A systematic weeding of the ARS had never been undertaken and it presented a number of logistical challenges. This article discusses the system that was devised for this large weeding project.
Should Chat Reference Be Staffed By Librarians? An Assessment Of Chat Reference At An Academic Library Using Libstats, Patricia Bravender, Colleen Lyon, Anthony Molaro
Should Chat Reference Be Staffed By Librarians? An Assessment Of Chat Reference At An Academic Library Using Libstats, Patricia Bravender, Colleen Lyon, Anthony Molaro
Patricia Bravender
This study analyzes 1,557 chat reference questions received at Grand Valley State University Libraries over four semesters to determine the quantity and nature of the questions. Results indicated that use of chat reference was low and that less than a quarter of chat questions required a librarian to answer. The cost of a librarian answering a chat question ranged from $37 to $439 per question. The findings suggest that assigning chat reference to trained reference assistants will not affect patron service and that it is not cost effective to use reference librarians to answer chat questions.