doing research and patron/librarian contact

[Sheryl Dwinell]

>> When a patron can stand at a terminal and request a hold or an ILL, etc.
and
>> never approach a staff person to gain assistance in obtaining all the
>> information that exists in the library on their subject...

<stuff deleted>

>> ... Then we are not doing our job.

>This, to me, is a dated perception.  People don't want "all the
>information that exists in the library."  Perenial student behavior + free
>choice = I want 1 book, 2 journal articles, 1 magazine and I want to get
>the hell out of here.  

<snip>

I think you need to make a distinction between things like placing holds,
ILL requests, database searches and librarians finding creative methods to
reach out to students to enable them to do more effective research
utilizing the electronic & print materials we provide them.  Even when we
didn't have PCs and electronic resources, most students didn't ask
librarians for help to do research. I was one of those students. I'd bet
most of you were, too. I also did a stint in reference at a major
university and when you looked at the stats you could see that a mere
fraction of students ever approached a librarian for assistance. So, I
don't think there's been some recent shift in the idea that "I need to find
all the information for this research project. Oh, I know, I'll go ask the
reference desk."  Maybe there was a time where people felt that way, but my
own perception is that this hasn't been the case for a long time.  

There's been resistance in my own library to such simple things as placing
holds and self-checkout because of the absence of contact with patrons.
Quite honestly, I don't think patrons really care whether a human being
places their hold or if they do it themselves. In fact, I'm sure they'd
rather be able to do as much as they could from the comfort of their own
PC. I think we (and that includes librarians and professors) should be
concentrating our efforts on helping patrons/students become better
researchers by teaching them how to use the resources at their disposal and
how to think critically about information.  I think we may be past the
point where we can expect patrons to come to librarians seeking all the
information they need. They've already been sold on the idea they can find
everything they want online.  I really think people want to be empowered to
do their own research. That's why I think we need to find creative teaching
solutions, rather than trying to convince patrons that they need to come to
the librarian to get the information they need. We know that people don't
come to us. We really have to redefine our roles or dare I say it, face
extinction.

Just my own rambling, warped thoughts.

Sheryl Dwinell * Cataloger/DBM Librarian/Webmaster
Memorial Library * Marquette University
P.O. Box 3141 * Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141
414-288-3406 * dwinells at vms.csd.mu.edu