The semantics in library organizational structures are largely out of date and irrelevant. Why are so many circulation departments often referred to as "Access Services," for example? The traditional "technical services" function of providing metadata for discovery (as well as print processing and labeling and description and so on) should arguably be referred to as "Access Services." What should "Public Services" be called? Rick is right - everything we do should be a public service otherwise, what's the point? I think hierarchical structures (in academic libraries, at least) increasingly don't work because every aspect of library services is so interdependent today.
Kelly Smith
Coordinator of Collection Services
Eastern Kentucky University Libraries<http://www.library.eku.edu/>
email kelly.smith2_at_eku.edu<mailto:kelly.smith2_at_eku.edu> | tel 859-622-3062
subject guides http://libguides.eku.edu/profile/KellySmith
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 1:35 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 Wed Aug 28 2013 - 11:59:27 EDT