Library Futures: Redesigning Today's Public Services 11/12/10

This was a College of DuPage teleconference lead by Marie Radford. The discussion revolved around reference services and how they are in transition. She talked about the increased need for collaboration and consortial involvement; librarians no longer need to be the Lone Reference Desk Ranger.
The influence of mobile applications was discussed; this ties with the last College of DuPage teleconference on Libraries & the Mobile Technologies Landscape held on 9/24/10. She gave examples of augmented reality (AR app) and Quick Response Codes (QR Codes). (The 9/24/10 presentation also discussed QR Codes!)
She devoted a good portion of time to the discussion of outreach. Whether that is a public library with a drive-up window (interesting considering that had been on the table for the new Marshall-Lyon County Library building), or an academic library like Penn State University that has an "ASK Cart" that travels around campus with a librarian (a.k.a. Library Dude) at the helm. She also referenced Cornell University's tiered system of having a non-professional librarian staffing the Information Desk so that professional librarians could spend the majority of their time doing professional duties and be called upon as needed to answer true reference questions. (I recall a similar model in place at the University of Iowa when I was completing my graduate program there.) She noted that 85% of questions that come to the Information/Reference Desk are NOT reference questions. She also mentioned a small liberal arts college (Franklin & Marshall) whose librarians make "House Calls" to the academic departments. All of these examples demonstrate ways librarians can make themselves available at the point-of-need while at the same time help change perceptions of librarians (i.e., we're not all waiting behind an intimidating desk for people to approach us).
In response to a listener question about the future of print reference, Marie answered an unequivocal "Print Reference is Dead." She specifically mentioned that the Oxford English Dictionary is 100% an electronic product now and that Encyclopedia Britannica in print has been declining in sales since 1990. This reminded me that my 10-year-old daughter just asked me this week if we have an encyclopedia set at home. I responded that we (along with all Minnesotans) have access to a great encyclopedia online, so we don't need a print one in the house. She responded, "I thought so." :)
Marie's presentation concluded with her thoughts that as librarians we need to continue to thrive and move forward embracing the technologies our patrons are using and find ways to meet them in that environment.