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The author surveyed 145 librarians regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest the pandemic's effects have not been evenly distributed geographically, or among different types of workers. Some feel that the crisis has helped libraries expand services, while others worry that it has hurt their abilities to interact with users. In addition to introducing new challenges, the pandemic has uncovered inequities within the profession, furthered communication and decision-making gaps, and precipitated ongoing budgetary shortfalls. The past year has also affected librarians on a personal level, increasing stress and dissatisfaction. On the other hand, communication between colleagues may have improved through the use of online tools and remote/flexible work could have positive long-term implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declining reference statistics, diminishing human resources, and the desire to be more proactive and embedded in academic departments, prompted the University of South Florida Library to create a taskforce for re-envisioning reference services. The taskforce was charged with examining the staffing patterns at the desk and developing recommendations to give librarians greater flexibility and to better respond to the information-seeking needs of users. These recommendations were based on statistics of desk usage, collected with the newly adapted online tool "Desk Tracker," and structured interviews with library administrators. The taskforce was interested in how these stakeholders use quantitative data in decision making.

When exploring the overall impact of the academic library on the undergraduate experience library student workers are a unique group to consider. As both direct users and providers of library services to their peers, student workers enable libraries to gain an understanding of the general undergraduate population. The objective of this article is to present the findings of a study of undergraduate students employed at a university research library. A questionnaire distributed to 350 student workers gathered information about who they are and how they engage with their communities. This article will look at the value working in an academic library brings to undergraduates' lives. It will consider whether working in the library promotes student success, builds community, and provides them with valuable opportunities to engage in peer networking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study engages public services librarians and librarians in administrative or managerial positions in a conversation about LGBTQ student needs. Using a sample from the Campus Pride Index's Best 25 LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities, the researchers gathered information regarding outreach, collections, facilities, services, and policies for LGBTQ students. The results of this survey suggest that, while there is a great deal of support for LGBTQ students among librarians, the Campus Pride criteria is not entirely being met. There is an unclear delineation between the role of the library in promoting LGBTQ friendliness, and the role of the larger university, which may be related to the uncertain position of the library in the campus environment. However, the empathy that librarians in both decision and non-decision making roles have towards LGBTQ students opens up the possibility of deeper conversations and proactive, innovative support services in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper was to analyze undergraduate students' use of Wikipedia bibliographies. The study has implications for Wikipedia as a "discovery tool" of library collections, library instructional practices and understanding the complex ecology of students' research processes. Design/methodology/approach -- Thirty undergraduate students were recruited from introductory English writing classes. A controlled survey was conducted in Qualtrics®, including the following sections: pre and post test of students' understanding of authority/quality of sources; tasks analyzing participants' choices for further research after reading a Wikipedia article; and students' determination of the authority/quality of sources in Wikipedia reference pages, using an adapted version of the Turnitin® Source Educational Evaluation Rubric. Findings -- The investigator found that students were unlikely to follow references they found in bibliographies of Wikipedia pages, unless instructed to do so. This was expressed most clearly in their comments, which revealed that Wikipedia's reference sections are found to be too overwhelming and numerous. These entries are depicted by order of appearance in the text and are not ranked, or presented in an order students considered useful. Participants were not likely to use Wikipedia as a discovery tool of library content because they perceived Wikipedia as being markedly different, even in opposition to, library resources. Students disclosed being warned by their faculty and instructors not to use the online encyclopedia at all in their research process. However, paradoxically, after reading a Wikipedia article, students were most likely to go to Google, or revisit Wikipedia, for more information, as opposed to using the library. Study participants reported that "ease of access" is the most important consideration when choosing sources to include in research papers, followed by the actual authority/quality of these sources. Students also greatly benefited from having a structured rubric available at the point of their research process when they are asked to determine the authority/quality of sources, and especially within Wikipedia bibliographies. Research limitations/implications -- This is a small-scale study of students' use of Wikipedia in one university campus, but its results can spark a discussion of the larger question of undergraduates' research trajectories. The findings of the study suggest that these trajectories are extremely influenced by two conflicting issues: faculty influence and resource convenience. The researchers plan to extend the study to include faculty's perceptions of the value of Wikipedia to undergraduate students' research, including faculty's own involvement as Wikipedia editors and contributors. Future research of undergraduate's use of Wikipedia could benefit from a greater recruitment of participants across a diverse pool of academic institutions, as well as a mixed research method of observation, task analysis and interviews. Practical implications -- The findings of the study offer suggestions for both the design aspect of Wikipedia and the instructional methods of academic librarians. This study also informs library practices and emerging collaborations with Wikipedia, specifically the "Wikipedian in Residence" program and the concept of using Wikipedia as one type of a discovery tool. Originality/value -- There is a lack of empirical evidence showing how or if students use Wikipedia bibliographies to continue their research. The possibility of the online encyclopedia as a discovery tool for library collections is relatively unknown and unexplored. The topic of collaboration between Wikipedia and libraries is new and emerging in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive assessments have shown that academic library users prefer a welcoming environment that provides the opportunity for self-sufficiency. Libraries need to meet these expectations and improve the quality of library reference by creating a comprehensive training program for librarians, staff, and students. This article will review standards for reference training in academic libraries with a focus on one-desk service points and consider best practices for planning, implementing, and assessing training programs for staff, students, and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The case study in this chapter describes the planning and implementation of a single service desk or "one desk" model, merging the circulation and reference desks at a large academic library. The transition to a single service desk model was proposed as a way to utilize library staff more efficiently and effectively. The project included a literature review, interviews with libraries that had recently moved to a one-desk model, and a recommendation that included a method as well as timeline for implementation. As a result of the recommendation, three committees were formed to lead the transition, each with representation from both the circulation and reference departments. One committee oversaw the physical implementation and assessment, while the second committee created training program for all staff teaching core competencies for both reference and circulation. The third committee recruited student peer research leaders as part of a pilot program for student assistants. Through the implementation process, the chairs of the three committees concluded that implementing a single service desk involved much more than just moving furniture and relocating equipment. Combining two departments with distinct organizational cultures was the key to making the transition successful. The details of the implementation can be used as a model for other libraries of any type contemplating a similar transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declining reference statistics, diminishing human resources, and the desire to be more proactive and embedded in academic departments, prompted the University of South Florida Library to create a taskforce for re-envisioning reference services. The taskforce was charged with examining the staffing patterns at the desk and developing recommendations to give librarians greater flexibility and to better respond to the information-seeking needs of users. These recommendations were based on statistics of desk usage, collected with the newly adapted online tool Desk Tracker, and structured interviews with library administrators. The taskforce was interested in how these stakeholders use quantitative data in decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]