Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Beta Spaces As A Model For Recontextualizing Reference Services In Libraries, Madelynn Dickerson

Library Staff Publications and Research

Reference services are at a cross-roads. While many academic libraries continue to offer reference services from behind a desk, others are moving to roving and embedded reference models. Meanwhile, libraries are also engaged in the development of collaborative learning spaces—often rich with technology, such as makerspaces and learning labs—but these spaces are often removed from the reference services environment. Beta spaces are another type of collaborative environment used in both public and academic libraries with the potential to infuse energy into the reference space and emphasize research support through experimentation, collaboration, and user contribution. Beta spaces are user-oriented environments with …

Coordinating Information Resources (With Reference On My Mind), Madelynn Dickerson

Library Staff Publications and Research

This poster presentation explores the ways reference and technical services staff can work together to build strong, user-centered collections and best serve student and faculty patrons. It highlights the professional path of the author during a transition from public services to technical services in a newly created position: information resources coordinator.

The challenge is twofold: 1) how to apply reference services expertise to a new scope of responsibility that includes collection analysis and management of print and electronic resources, and 2) how to build collaborative and meaningful relationships with reference and teaching librarians in order to best evaluate existing and …