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Making Reference Service Count: Collecting And Using Reference Service Statistics To Make A Difference, Judith Garrison

Judith Garrison

The Association of Research Libraries requirements for quantifying reference services are inadequate for a complete and accurate reflection of the complex nature of modern reference services. Using resources at hand, a medium-size academic library created an online system to collect, store, analyze, and use reference statistics. Information is entered at the point of service in a Web-based interface located on the computer desktop of each librarian. When record keeping and reporting processes were customized, automated, and made accessible to librarians, the data collected proved invaluable in tracking trends in reference service, monitoring library initiatives, and providing reference librarians information for …