I strongly agree with Rick. Every aspect of our job should be focused on making the patron's experience of the library better. My section handles a great deal of technical support for electronic resources. We do get "problem reports" directly from the public, though usually mediated by a librarian, but even as we are establishing access to new resources, we are asking the question: how will the patrons (students) use this resource? will they intuitively understand this or that detail? how can we make this more seamless, more obvious?
All the best,
Christina Torbert
Head of Continuing Resources and Bibliographer for Philosophy and Religion
J.D. Williams Library, University of Mississippi
662-915-7059; 662-915-6744 fax
ctorbert_at_olemiss.edu<mailto:ctorbert_at_olemiss.edu>
From: acqnet-l-bounces_at_lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:acqnet-l-bounces_at_lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of acqnet-l_at_lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Monday, August 26, 2013 12:35 PM
To: acqnet-l_at_lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [ACQNET-L] Is Technical Services a public service?
My next question is how would you argue that Technical Services is indeed a public service?
FWIW, I would say that nothing we do in any area of the library has meaning or value except to the degree that it helps our patrons. If you can't justify the value of your department in terms of service to the public, you probably can't justify the existence of the department. This is true regardless of whether the people who staff the department interact directly with members of the public - after all, the folks in Reference only interact with a tiny fraction of the public they serve.
---
Rick Anderson
Assoc. Dean for Scholarly Resources & Collections
Marriott Library, University of Utah
Desk: (801) 587-9989
Cell: (801) 721-1687
rick.anderson_at_utah.edu<mailto:rick.anderson_at_utah.edu>
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Received on Tue Aug 27 2013 - 18:36:17 EDT