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Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users?
ACALIB-01617; No. of pages: 8; 4C: The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx
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The Journal of Academic Librarianship
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? Kimberly L. O'Neill ⁎, Brooke A. Guilfoyle Regis University, 3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, CO 80221, USA
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Article history: Received 27 February 2015 Accepted 8 May 2015 Available online xxxx Keywords: Reference services Reference desk Library signage Marketing Library surveys Academic libraries
a b s t r a c t In the library profession there is abundant use of jargon and acronyms to describe library activities. The terminology used is important to both market and describe library services. Often library professionals make assumptions that their users understand what library terminology means. Reference is a term widely understood by librarians and library workers, but is that understanding conveyed to the library user especially in academic institutions? The Regis University Library Reference Services Department faculty were curious to discover whether their students and faculty knew what the word “reference” meant especially since this word was on the sign above their service desk and used in the name of their department. A survey was developed by the Reference Services Department to answer that question and others. Results from the survey were used to propose a new name for the desk, department and librarians. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION When entering a library, visitors may expect to find a bespectacled, conservatively coifed librarian reading quietly behind a desk. This may be the stereotype, but library professionals know it is an inaccurate portrayal and one librarians rail against. Over the years, libraries and librarians have fought to explain, market and define their services to the public. While it is true that the perception of the services and duties of librarians vary among library users and are often misunderstood, it is especially true for those who serve in the reference department or on the reference desk of a library. In a 2009 study by Sutton, Bazirjian and Zerwas only 1% of those surveyed even thought of “reference” when they considered the library. Other studies by Luzius and Noe (2003) and Jenkins (2001) noted that university students did not have a clear understanding of the librarian's role or that a Masters in Library Science was needed for most academic positions. The members of Regis University Library's Reference Services Department felt that their user's perception was no different and sought to discover whether this was the reality. The Regis University Library is set in an urban campus with four colleges that serve undergraduate and graduate students and faculty. The university has five campuses with a student and faculty population of over 10,000. The library departments include Reference Services, Access Services, Media Services, Electronic Services, Archives, Distance Services and Technical Services. The Dayton Memorial Library is the library ⁎ Corresponding author at: 3333 Regis Boulevard, D-20, Denver, CO 80221, USA. Tel.: +1 303 964 6530. E-mail address: [email protected] (K.L. O'Neill).
building where these departments are housed on Regis' main campus. The Regis University Library refers to all library services — online and physical, serving both campus-based and online students. The library collections include over 394,000 print books, serial backfiles, government documents, bound periodicals, and newspapers, 119,000 eBooks and 13,000 media/audiovisual items which are housed on the four floors of the library and online. The library has sixteen faculty librarians, fifteen staff members and multiple student workers. The Reference Services Department offers a variety of service points, such as reference desk service, office appointments, email, virtual chat, and phone. The library has a website with a large offering of databases, research guides and other electronic resources. As part of the reference services configuration, the Regis University Library employs a traditional reference model which puts a value on personal service delivered by a librarian who answers questions from a desk or service counter (Tyckoson, 2001). The Regis Library Reference desk is staffed by a librarian seven days a week for a total 76.5 h. This service model has its roots back to 1891, when the Providence Public Library Director convinced his Board of Trustees to allow an information desk, staffed by a librarian, that would be beneficial to the community (Rothstein, 1953). In more recent times, library literature indicates that the trend in academic libraries throughout the United States is to move away from the reference desk to an appointment or consultation-based approach (Meldrem, Mardis, & Johnson, 2005; Tyckoson, 2001) or even roving reference where the librarian meets the patron where they may be studying. However, in a 2011 survey of academic libraries of similar Carnegie Classification, 66.7% reported that they still use the traditional reference desk model to deliver service (Miles, 2013). Based
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007 0099-1333/© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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K.L. O'Neill, B.A. Guilfoyle / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx
on Regis University Library's previous LibQual+® surveys and personal experience, the Reference Services Department members agreed that the ready accessibility and visibility of the reference librarians is a vital part of their service and marketing efforts. Recently, the department underwent a staff transition, by adding four new Reference Librarians to fill vacant and new positions for a total of six librarians who serve at the Reference Desk. Following this transition, most of the department felt that it was time to explore a general rebranding of the Reference Services Department. Most members of the department felt the word reference, although widely used, was tired and misunderstood. It was thought that the department's commitment to having a reference desk was poorly served by signage that meant little to users. However, other members of the department wholeheartedly objected to the change based on their belief that “reference” is a long-standing, venerated term dating back to the late 19th century (Rothstein, 1953), and therefore easily recognized by library users. Many professions strive to stay relevant in changing times. Librarianship is no different. Defining terminology to fit current practices can help the next generation of users understand those practices better. In 2008, the Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) updated the definitions of “reference transactions” and “reference work”: “Reference Transactions are information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs. Reference transactions do not include formal instruction or exchanges that provide assistance with locations, schedules, equipment, supplies, or policy statements.”
“Reference Work includes reference transactions and other activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information or research resources, tools, and services” (ALA, RUSA, 2008). With the complex definition and perception of the term “reference” and the variety of roles that a librarian fills it follows that terminology and services could be confusing to library users (Arndt, 2010). Based on anecdotal evidence and the library literature, the Regis Reference Services Department already suspected that many of their users did not have a clear understanding of the librarian's role and services offered within the library, but they needed more evidence to support a change. With this in mind, the Reference Services Department decided to create a survey in order to collect formal data on how Regis University Library users perceived and used the Reference Services Department. Additionally, the department wanted to find out what words users felt best described the Reference Services Department's functions. The authors hoped that the research would support a proposal to change “Reference Services Department,” “Reference Librarians,” and “Reference Desk” to names that had more meaning to their users. LITERATURE REVIEW There has been little study of library department naming or whether a name change would affect usage or the understanding of library reference services (Harden, 2013). There has however, been a great deal of discussion regarding the use of a physical reference desk and library users' perception of library reference services. Traditionally, in academic libraries the reference desk has been the heart of the library, however there is an increasing divide in opinion on which version of service is best, for example, traditional face-to-face reference or virtual; reference desk or no desk (Carlson, 2007). The choice of service really depends on the institution's needs. Ford (1986) wrote the earliest argument for eliminating the reference desk, followed by the strong opinion of Ewing and Hauptman (1995) who expounded that “traditional
academic reference service…does not need to be rethought or reconfigured, it needs to be eliminated” (p. 3). This is quite a change from the earlier writing of Rothstein (1953) who asserted that direct personal assistance is the hallmark of reference librarianship. At Regis University, where a personal touch is part of the institutional culture, the physical reference desk as a place to seek the assistance of a librarian is important. However, even with that, the question remains, do library users know what “Reference Services” are, what a librarian does, and, who the librarians are? Studies indicate that library users are often confused about the functions of library departments and personnel (Fagan, 2003; Hernon & Pastine, 1977; Massey-Burzio, 1998). Loprinzo (2009) found that the majority of users did not know all of the services offered by the library. Is technical services for computer help? Are serials something you eat? Can you get your blood pressure checked at the circulation desk? As the authors pose these questions tongue-in-cheek, there is some reality to these queries. Boyd (1993) found that terms like “reference,” “circulation” and “periodical” meant little to library users, especially those not from North America. She concluded that keeping away from library jargon and using simplified language on signage is helpful in directing all library users. Library users are often unaware who is a librarian compared to other library staff members (Massey-Burzio, 1998). Library users often assume anyone behind a public service desk is a librarian and as Arndt (2010) observed, if student workers staff the desk when the librarians are out this further confuses the patron. Additionally, Hernon and Pastine (1977) and Fagan (2003) supported this in their research, finding that no difference was made between professional librarians and clerical staff. This issue is problematic when there is more than one service desk and the signage is not clear. As Tyckoson (2001) states, “users frequently did not know where to go or who to ask for help” (p. 261) and have no problem asking whoever in the library is available. This can be frustrating for the library users who may need a trained librarian who can answer a research question or give assignment help, not just a polite answer from a staff person on a directional question or the checking out of a book. In some academic libraries, changing the layout of the reference service area has proven to influence the recognition and visibility of the librarian. When Oberlin College in Ohio redesigned their reference area by changing signs, furniture and equipment, they had an increase in usage. Their reference desk signs now read “Research Help” and “Information” (Mitchell, Comer, Starkey, & Francis, 2011). The signage change seemed to give users more clues as to where to go in the library for help with assignments. The Regis Reference Services Department hoped that a similar change would increase the number of reference transactions and clarify the services offered at their service desk. METHODOLOGY The Regis Reference Services Department developed a survey to gather information about how the library is used, whether users know what the term “reference” means, and whether they can tell what services are offered by observing the sign over the reference desk. Although the primary goal of the study was to gather data about renaming the department, the survey was also an opportunity to collect more information on library usage. Several online and print versions were drafted and revised until the survey was ready to pilot. The print survey had seven questions. The online version was created with the Springshare LibGuides survey tool and included eight questions. The additional question was the result of separating the two-part question in the print version into two separate questions online because of the way the Springshare survey tool functioned. The two versions of the survey were otherwise identical. The first survey question asked the respondent what type of user they were, e.g., faculty, undergraduate, etc. The next four questions (the next five of the online version) included both multiple choice and
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
K.L. O'Neill, B.A. Guilfoyle / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx Table 1 Final survey questions. 1. Who are you? Undergraduate student__
Graduate student__
Faculty__
Staff__
Guest__
2. If you use the Regis Library, how do you use it? (circle all that apply) In-person Email Phone Chat Website 3. How often do you use the Regis Library each month? If none, why? Once 2–5 times 5–10 times 10 or We have a more library? 4. Do you ever use the assistance of the Librarians? Yes No If yes, what services have they provided to you? 5. If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research? 6. If you needed help with research at the Library, what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location? 7. Thinking about libraries what words come to mind when you hear or see the word “Reference?”
open-ended questions and collected data about how, why, and how often respondents used the library, and what resources they used to meet their information needs. The last two questions were aimed at collecting data about what the word “reference” meant to respondents and what words respondents could supply as potential alternatives to the word “reference” (Table 1). The survey was piloted during some bibliographic instruction sessions in the Fall Semester of 2013 in both print and online versions. This was done to ensure that the questions were understandable, drew a reasonable response, and that the online version was easy to use. The option of a printed survey or the link to the online survey was provided to students and faculty during the pilot. Review of the pilot survey results showed that the questionnaire was on track to meet the desired outcomes. Afterward, a Regis University Exempt Institutional Review Board (IRB) application was submitted and approved. The survey project was launched during a two-week period before mid-terms in February 2014. The five physical locations selected to distribute the survey were the Dayton Memorial Library's Reference, Circulation and Media Services desks, Regis' Learning Commons, and one of the biggest and busiest classroom buildings located across campus from the library. The Learning Commons and the classroom building were chosen as distribution sites because many users access the library online and do not visit the library building. The online survey was available to anyone who used the Library online or in-person. Signs with survey URLs were posted on each computer monitor in the Dayton Memorial Library. Links to the survey were on the website, in some
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online course forums, and sent via email to all faculty and staff in the University. During the survey period, print surveys were distributed in-person at the Dayton Memorial Library and the other locations. Candy was offered as an incentive to fill out the survey because it was felt that this was a low-value reward that would not encourage cheating by filling out multiple surveys. This method was highly successful as librarians were only declined a few times when students were approached. When solicited to take part in the survey, the participant could either fill in the print survey or choose to take the online version. At the end of the survey time period of fourteen days, the online survey was closed and data was collected from LibGuides to generate a spreadsheet. The print surveys were collected, tallied and the data was merged with the online survey data. In total (online & print) 436 surveys were collected. The data was easily coded for the closed questions, but open-ended questions required more attention. The authors independently created categories for each open-ended question based on the narrative responses. They coded the respondent data within the categories. Once coded the authors met to mitigate discrepancies in their choice of categories and codes, to finally create one uniform version of the data. IBM SPSS® Statistics v. 22 software was used to analyze the data to provide frequencies and percentages of responses by user type and as a whole. RESULTS Question 1 collected data on each user's affiliation with the library. Of the 436 respondents, 173 respondents were undergraduate students, 49 graduate students, 182 faculty, 21 staff and 11 community users. Although feedback was solicited from university staff and community library users, the main purpose of this study was to gather information from those whose primary focus was using the library for academic research and study. Therefore, the staff and community data were not included in the final analysis below. Question 2 asked respondents how they use the library. Answer choices included the access points of website, in person, email, phone, or chat. More than one answer could be selected by the respondent. Overall, website use (79.4%) led the way, followed by in person (70.5%), email (19.2%), phone (12.1%), and chat (4.3%). Broken down by user type, data from Question 2 indicated that the faculty are the largest users of the library's remote services including web, phone, and email, whereas undergraduate and graduate students come into the library more often (Fig. 1). It may be at Regis University that faculty will call or email from their offices while undergraduates need a place to study and “hang out” so librarians tend to see them in the library more. How often patrons use the Regis University Library was asked in Question 3. Most respondents answered that they use the library 2–5 times per month (32.5%) closely followed by 10 or more times per
100 90 80 70 60 undergraduate
50
graduate
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30 20 10 0 website
in-person
email
phone
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Fig. 1. How do you use the Library? (% by user group).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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40 35 30 undergraduate
25
graduate
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15 10 5 0 Once
2-5 times
5-10 times
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We have a library?
Fig. 2. How often do you use the library? (% by user group).
month (30.1%) (Fig. 2). The survey did not ask those patrons which service they used during those visits to the library building or website, so it could have been by any of the means in Question 2. By looking at combined undergraduate and graduate student responses (209) versus faculty (163) responses, it was clear that there was a greater absolute number of student uses, so it may hold that signage should be more relevant to that user type. Question 4 had two parts, the first asked if the patron used the assistance of the librarians. 67.6% of faculty use the assistance of the librarians as opposed to 52.6% of the undergraduates and 65.3% of the graduate students. This does not seem like a significant variation but the higher faculty “use” may be related to the fact that the librarians are asked to instruct students in specific courses. The second part of Question 4 was open-ended and asked what services the librarians provided to respondents. Finding books was listed as the largest service provided to all user types at 32.5% (Fig. 3). The results also showed that graduate students need more technical support (28.6%), online help (14.3%) and research assistance (14.3%) as a group (Fig. 3). Perhaps this relates to the number of graduate students who are returning to school after a long absence or taking courses online. Although it was not a main component of the study the authors felt that they could gather additional information by adding Question 5. This was an open-ended question added to ascertain user preferences for
information resources used outside the library collections. The survey asked, “If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research?” The majority of all respondents indicated that general web searching was their primary source of information. This is not surprising considering website access was the highest type of library access overall (Fig. 1). However, because of their popularity, it was interesting that Google (6.4%) and Google Scholar (4.1%) were only a small portion of the total responses and did not rank higher. Google products were the first non-subscription site choice for undergraduate students as one might predict whereas, general web searching was selected by faculty (32.7%) and graduate students (12.7%) as their top means of getting to non-Regis Library resources (Fig. 4). The limitations and issues with this question are discussed later. Question 6 was referred to as the “naming” question. The idea behind this question was the inspiration that led to the creation of the survey. The signs posted above the Reference Desk simply stated “Reference.” The authors expected that responses to Question 6, “If you needed help with research at the Library, what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location?” would reveal some creative alternatives for a more relevant sign for the Reference Desk, a new name for the department, or provide evidence that the existing terminology was the best choice. The four most popular words provided by respondents overall were “help” (36.2%), “research” (26.1%), “reference” (17.4%), and “assistance” (12.8%) (Fig. 5). This
35 30 25 20 undergraduate
15
graduate
10
faculty 5 0
Fig. 3. What services have the Librarian provided you? (% by user group).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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20 18 16 14 12 undergraduate
10 8
graduate
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4 2 0 web (general)
databases
library catalog
Google
Scholar
instructors
Fig. 4. If you do not use the library, how do you get your information? (% by user group).
trend was consistent through all three user types, but the breakdown by user type revealed a little more information. By user type, 23.7% of the undergraduate students surveyed thought the word “reference” led them to seek assistance at the desk. Graduate students and faculty responded with the term “help” and “research” more often than “reference.” However, in the end, “help” was by far the winner overall (Fig. 6). To further the exploration of terminology, library users were asked how they perceive the word “reference,” the current name used for the desk and department. Question 7 asked, “Thinking about libraries what words come to mind when you hear or see the word ‘Reference?’” The top words in the order that all respondents chose to define reference were “research” (18.8%), “help” (18.8%), “books” (18.5%), “articles” (16.2%), “information” (13.3%), and “reference” (9.4%) (Fig. 7). Once again, books scored high. The authors speculated that students and faculty tie the word reference to books as in “reference book” or “reference list.” This is in line with the Oxford English Dictionary (1999) definition of “reference book,” “a book used for reference purposes” (p. 465). Looking at what each user type thought about reference, it was found that undergraduate students listed “help” (30.6%) as the word that most came to mind, whereas faculty responded with “books” (17.6%) and graduate students replied “articles” (28.6%) (Fig. 7). Finally, to get a word picture and frequency distribution of the words provided by library users, Wordle.net was used to create a word cloud (Fig. 8). A Wordle displays words in a meaningful graphic format based on how often each word is present in a document. The Wordle displayed the words that library users felt described the services offered by the department as represented in answers to Question 7. The graphical representation helped illustrate the evidence that the data supplied for a name change. It was also used to create a poster and an advertisement for the Reference Services Department.
that the virtual reference (VR) service had fairly low usage. They had an idea that this was true based on statistics collected for that service, however, the survey led to a discussion of why. The consensus was that it was due to less time put into marketing the service and staffing concerns. Now that the newly hired librarians are also involved in VR at Regis, there is an opportunity for increased marketing of this helpful service. In turn, data from Question 3 revealed that the undergraduate students come into the library building more often than faculty and graduate students. This lends credence to the fact that librarians observed that the library's new study spaces and the availability of study rooms have drawn more students into the building to study. During a recent finals week, it was noted that nearly every seat was filled and all of the study rooms were reserved. Finding books was the lead service claimed to be used by the students and faculty as revealed in Question 4. This was curious because the authors feel that they rarely just locate a book. The authors thought that the results would show a higher percentage for research assistance, but they did not. At Regis, the freshman writing seminar instructors require students to seek out a librarian to help them find books for one of their first assignments. Also, some of the librarians report that at certain times of the year the students come to the desk to request textbooks or reserve items. These facts could explain the results for the high number of responses for “finding books.” Or, perhaps students simply do not know that more services are available to them, such as research or topic development assistance. This answer also presents an opportunity for the library to develop more marketing materials and information sessions about all of the services the library offers.
3.4 3.4 4.3 6.2
DISCUSSION
help 36.2
The goal of this research was to gather evidence about how library users perceive the Regis University Library Reference Services Department and Reference Desk. Although not tasked with this project, the new librarians hoped that the results would guide a proposal to rename the department to something that they felt better fit its updated character and service. The survey shed light on multiple aspects of the Reference Services Department's services and user perception. Additionally, it was a great way to market the library and new librarians through the delivery of the survey in the library and the other locations. As the authors were novices at survey development, delivery and data analysis this was a great opportunity to develop their skills. The survey results brought to light a number of discussion items for the authors. Through the results of Question 2 the authors discovered
research reference
12.8
assistance librarian ask questions resources
17.4
26.1
Fig. 5. Words on a sign? (% of total users).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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K.L. O'Neill, B.A. Guilfoyle / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx
60 50 40 30
undergraduate
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Fig. 6. What words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location? (% by user group).
number of responses for Question 7. This caused the authors to recheck the data to verify this fact. Out of the 436 surveys returned, only seven listed the word “information” for “…what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location?” At this time, the authors have no explanation for this phenomenon. Perhaps, Regis students and faculty felt that the term was too general or basic. A future study could allow for an exploration of why this occurred. After consideration of the evidence, the Reference Services Department decided to rename the Dayton Memorial Library reference desk with signage that says “Research Help” because of the high percentage of responses to those terms for Question 6. The authors created a new sign that now hangs above reference desk. The authors used the Wordle to create an advertisement that highlighted the findings. The department also recommended to the Dean of the Library that position titles change from “Reference Librarians” to “Research & Instruction Librarians” in keeping with the results from the survey.
In the end, Questions 6 and 7 were really the heart of this survey. The authors wanted to seek answers to their original problem: What to call the department and what sign should sit above the reference desk? The overall results revealed that 26.1% of users selected “Research” for the word on a sign that would allow them to know they could get help at the desk. The fact that “help” stood out on top at 36.2% of the responses made the authors wonder: Does this term convey a feeling of desperation on the part of library users, or does it show that Regis faculty and students feel that the librarians are helpful and that they know they can get assistance by coming to the desk? Perhaps the responses reflect that undergraduate students feel they need “help” as they navigate the university and learn about resources probably not available to them in high school, whereas graduate students and faculty need to cite “references” that are chiefly articles and books. That 23.7% of the undergraduates surveyed still associated the department with the word “reference” lends credence to those in the department who felt that students knew what reference meant. Undergraduate students who take the writing seminar get instruction and a tour of the library and reference area. Accordingly, these undergraduates may have had more exposure to the use of the word “reference” at the Dayton Memorial Library, which may contribute to their knowledge of the term's meaning. On the other hand, online students, graduate students, and faculty do not regularly get this instruction. It was also puzzling that the word “information” appeared in very few responses for the answer to Question 6, but was in a moderate
LIMITATIONS As new faculty and novices in the design, delivery and analysis of surveys, the authors had some challenges to overcome. Despite their enthusiasm and hard work on the survey design, the Exempt IRB application approval process delayed the start of the survey by a few months. This was not a major obstacle, but because timing was important, the delay added some stress.
scholarly databases assistance resource reference
faculty graduate
information
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articles books help research 0
5
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15
20
25
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Fig. 7. What words come to mind when you hear or see the word Reference? (% by user).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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Fig. 8. Wordle.
Upon reflection of the outcomes, the authors recognized that some questions would have been easier to evaluate if they allowed closedended rather than open-ended responses. Leaving the questions openended gave the respondents more freedom to come up with their own ideas and be creative, but some of the respondents were a little too creative, or failed to address the question at all. Perhaps questions with closed-ended responses, and the addition of an option to add comments might have been easier to interpret. Based on their data analysis, the authors would rephrase or eliminate Question 5 if they distributed this survey again. An alternative to, “If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research?” could be “On occasions you don't use the Library, how do you get your information?” or, “If you never use the Library, how do you get your information?” Question 5 also revealed that students did not know what “use the library,” meant. The authors erroneously assumed that students would understand that both online library resources and the physical resources within the building were all part of the library. One respondent commented, “I use the academic databases and search keywords…” Perhaps the respondent did not know that databases are library resources, but more likely, they did not understand the question. There were several similar responses, therefore a closed-ended question or highlighting that the authors were looking specifically for non-library resources would have helped clarify this question. Or, perhaps it could have been left out altogether being it was put in simply to gather more information and not to answer the main objective. As stated earlier, this was a learning experience for the authors and they learned a number of lessons in the process that will allow them to choose to conduct a survey project from a more enlightened perspective. If this project were to be repeated, the authors might choose to deliver a shorter survey with closed-ended questions to eliminate errors in interpretation of the questions or data. Other options for meeting the goal are the use of polling software, other online survey tools, focus groups or holding a contest to name the desk. Any of these options would have probably resulted in a similar outcome. We limited the delivery of the survey to Regis' main campus. To increase responses in the future, the authors would disseminate the survey to the satellite campuses or link it to the Learning Management System. Nevertheless, even with the shortcomings mentioned, plenty of things went right. The survey and the delivery time were short and allowed for the flexibility of online and print responses. The library faculty delivered surveys to students personally, which led to successful
data collection, and allowed new librarians to be visible and sociable in several locations. In addition, the data provided the needed evidence for the proposed change. CONCLUSION There is little current research on library department naming practices or exploration of the definitions of those names. This research fills a gap in that knowledge. It provided the Regis Library Reference Services Department solid data to present to the Dean of the Library and the university administration for the proposed changes to the department's name and to librarian position titles. This evidence also garnered support for a name change from Reference Desk to Research Help Desk. The practical nature of this project that led from concept to completion helped the authors and other librarians new to their faculty role experience the process of how to carry out research at the university level. Finally, the entire project was a great opportunity for the new and experienced members of the Reference Services Department (soon to be Research and Instruction Department) to work together and make contact with potential users outside the Dayton Memorial Library building. If students and faculty did not know the librarians before, they know them now. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Regis University and the Regis University Library supported this work. Thank you to the Regis University Reference Services Department faculty, Paul Mascarenas and Lindsay Brownfield for help in survey development and distribution; Martin Garnar, MLS for copy editing assistance; Erin McCaffrey, MLS for copy editing and online survey creation assistance; and Anna Floyd, Ph.D. for assistance with statistical analysis. REFERENCES American Library Association, & Reference and User Services Association (2008). Definitions of reference. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/ definitionsreference Arndt, T. S. (2010). Reference service without the desk. Reference Services Review, 38(1), 71–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00907321011020734. Boyd, D.R. (1993). Creating signs for multicultural patrons. The Acquisitions Librarian, 5(9–10), 61–66. Carlson, S. (2007). Are reference desks dying out? Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(33), A37–A39.
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Ewing, K., & Hauptman, R. (1995). Is traditional reference service obsolete? The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 21(1), 3–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/00991333(95)90144-2. Fagan, J. (2003). Students' perceptions of academic librarians. The Reference Librarian, 37(78), 131–148. Ford, B.J. (1986). Reference beyond (and without) the reference desk. College and Research Libraries, 47(5), 491–494. Harden, M.L. (2013). Signage and librarian perceptions: Assessing the reference service point. UNC Chapel Hill Theses, 1. Hernon, P., & Pastine, M. (1977). Student perceptions of academic librarians. College and Research Libraries, 38(2), 129–139. Jenkins, S. (2001). Undergraduate perceptions of the reference collection and the reference librarian in an academic library. The Reference Librarian, 35(73), 229–241. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J120v35n73_01. Loprinzo, G. (2009). Perceptions and awareness of library services. Journal of the Library Administration & Management Section, 5(2), 15–29. Luzius, J., & Noe, N. (2003). Do they know who we are? Student perceptions of university librarians. Alabama Librarian, 53(2), 13–16. Massey-Burzio, V. (1998). From the other side of the reference desk: A focus group study. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 24(3), 208–215.
Meldrem, J.A., Mardis, L.A., & Johnson, C. (2005). Redesign your reference desk: Get rid of it! Currents and convergence: Navigating the rivers of change, proceedings of the 12th National Conference of the Association of College and Research Libraries in Minneapolis, MN (pp. 305–311). Association of College and Research Libraries (Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/conferences/pdf/meldrem05.pdf). Miles, D.B. (2013). Shall we get rid of the reference desk? Reference and User Services Quarterly, 52(4), 320–333. http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/rusq.52n4.320. Mitchell, M.S., Comer, C.H., Starkey, J.M., & Francis, E.A. (2011). Paradigm shift in reference services at the Oberlin College library: A case study. Journal of Library Administration, 51(4), 359–374. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2011.556959. Reference (1999). (2nd ed.). Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. XIII. (pp. 464–465). Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. Rothstein, S. (1953). The development of the concept of reference service in American libraries, 1850–1900. The Library Quarterly, 23(1), 1–15. Sutton, L., Bazirjian, R., & Zerwas, S. (2009). Library service perceptions: A study of two universities. College and Research Libraries, 70(5), 474–496. http://dx.doi.org/10. 5860/crl.70.5.474. Tyckoson, D. (2001). What is the best model of reference service? Library Trends, 50(2), 183–196.
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? Kimberly L. O'Neill ⁎, Brooke A. Guilfoyle Regis University, 3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, CO 80221, USA
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Article history: Received 27 February 2015 Accepted 8 May 2015 Available online xxxx Keywords: Reference services Reference desk Library signage Marketing Library surveys Academic libraries
a b s t r a c t In the library profession there is abundant use of jargon and acronyms to describe library activities. The terminology used is important to both market and describe library services. Often library professionals make assumptions that their users understand what library terminology means. Reference is a term widely understood by librarians and library workers, but is that understanding conveyed to the library user especially in academic institutions? The Regis University Library Reference Services Department faculty were curious to discover whether their students and faculty knew what the word “reference” meant especially since this word was on the sign above their service desk and used in the name of their department. A survey was developed by the Reference Services Department to answer that question and others. Results from the survey were used to propose a new name for the desk, department and librarians. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION When entering a library, visitors may expect to find a bespectacled, conservatively coifed librarian reading quietly behind a desk. This may be the stereotype, but library professionals know it is an inaccurate portrayal and one librarians rail against. Over the years, libraries and librarians have fought to explain, market and define their services to the public. While it is true that the perception of the services and duties of librarians vary among library users and are often misunderstood, it is especially true for those who serve in the reference department or on the reference desk of a library. In a 2009 study by Sutton, Bazirjian and Zerwas only 1% of those surveyed even thought of “reference” when they considered the library. Other studies by Luzius and Noe (2003) and Jenkins (2001) noted that university students did not have a clear understanding of the librarian's role or that a Masters in Library Science was needed for most academic positions. The members of Regis University Library's Reference Services Department felt that their user's perception was no different and sought to discover whether this was the reality. The Regis University Library is set in an urban campus with four colleges that serve undergraduate and graduate students and faculty. The university has five campuses with a student and faculty population of over 10,000. The library departments include Reference Services, Access Services, Media Services, Electronic Services, Archives, Distance Services and Technical Services. The Dayton Memorial Library is the library ⁎ Corresponding author at: 3333 Regis Boulevard, D-20, Denver, CO 80221, USA. Tel.: +1 303 964 6530. E-mail address: [email protected] (K.L. O'Neill).
building where these departments are housed on Regis' main campus. The Regis University Library refers to all library services — online and physical, serving both campus-based and online students. The library collections include over 394,000 print books, serial backfiles, government documents, bound periodicals, and newspapers, 119,000 eBooks and 13,000 media/audiovisual items which are housed on the four floors of the library and online. The library has sixteen faculty librarians, fifteen staff members and multiple student workers. The Reference Services Department offers a variety of service points, such as reference desk service, office appointments, email, virtual chat, and phone. The library has a website with a large offering of databases, research guides and other electronic resources. As part of the reference services configuration, the Regis University Library employs a traditional reference model which puts a value on personal service delivered by a librarian who answers questions from a desk or service counter (Tyckoson, 2001). The Regis Library Reference desk is staffed by a librarian seven days a week for a total 76.5 h. This service model has its roots back to 1891, when the Providence Public Library Director convinced his Board of Trustees to allow an information desk, staffed by a librarian, that would be beneficial to the community (Rothstein, 1953). In more recent times, library literature indicates that the trend in academic libraries throughout the United States is to move away from the reference desk to an appointment or consultation-based approach (Meldrem, Mardis, & Johnson, 2005; Tyckoson, 2001) or even roving reference where the librarian meets the patron where they may be studying. However, in a 2011 survey of academic libraries of similar Carnegie Classification, 66.7% reported that they still use the traditional reference desk model to deliver service (Miles, 2013). Based
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007 0099-1333/© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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on Regis University Library's previous LibQual+® surveys and personal experience, the Reference Services Department members agreed that the ready accessibility and visibility of the reference librarians is a vital part of their service and marketing efforts. Recently, the department underwent a staff transition, by adding four new Reference Librarians to fill vacant and new positions for a total of six librarians who serve at the Reference Desk. Following this transition, most of the department felt that it was time to explore a general rebranding of the Reference Services Department. Most members of the department felt the word reference, although widely used, was tired and misunderstood. It was thought that the department's commitment to having a reference desk was poorly served by signage that meant little to users. However, other members of the department wholeheartedly objected to the change based on their belief that “reference” is a long-standing, venerated term dating back to the late 19th century (Rothstein, 1953), and therefore easily recognized by library users. Many professions strive to stay relevant in changing times. Librarianship is no different. Defining terminology to fit current practices can help the next generation of users understand those practices better. In 2008, the Reference & User Services Association (RUSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) updated the definitions of “reference transactions” and “reference work”: “Reference Transactions are information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs. Reference transactions do not include formal instruction or exchanges that provide assistance with locations, schedules, equipment, supplies, or policy statements.”
“Reference Work includes reference transactions and other activities that involve the creation, management, and assessment of information or research resources, tools, and services” (ALA, RUSA, 2008). With the complex definition and perception of the term “reference” and the variety of roles that a librarian fills it follows that terminology and services could be confusing to library users (Arndt, 2010). Based on anecdotal evidence and the library literature, the Regis Reference Services Department already suspected that many of their users did not have a clear understanding of the librarian's role and services offered within the library, but they needed more evidence to support a change. With this in mind, the Reference Services Department decided to create a survey in order to collect formal data on how Regis University Library users perceived and used the Reference Services Department. Additionally, the department wanted to find out what words users felt best described the Reference Services Department's functions. The authors hoped that the research would support a proposal to change “Reference Services Department,” “Reference Librarians,” and “Reference Desk” to names that had more meaning to their users. LITERATURE REVIEW There has been little study of library department naming or whether a name change would affect usage or the understanding of library reference services (Harden, 2013). There has however, been a great deal of discussion regarding the use of a physical reference desk and library users' perception of library reference services. Traditionally, in academic libraries the reference desk has been the heart of the library, however there is an increasing divide in opinion on which version of service is best, for example, traditional face-to-face reference or virtual; reference desk or no desk (Carlson, 2007). The choice of service really depends on the institution's needs. Ford (1986) wrote the earliest argument for eliminating the reference desk, followed by the strong opinion of Ewing and Hauptman (1995) who expounded that “traditional
academic reference service…does not need to be rethought or reconfigured, it needs to be eliminated” (p. 3). This is quite a change from the earlier writing of Rothstein (1953) who asserted that direct personal assistance is the hallmark of reference librarianship. At Regis University, where a personal touch is part of the institutional culture, the physical reference desk as a place to seek the assistance of a librarian is important. However, even with that, the question remains, do library users know what “Reference Services” are, what a librarian does, and, who the librarians are? Studies indicate that library users are often confused about the functions of library departments and personnel (Fagan, 2003; Hernon & Pastine, 1977; Massey-Burzio, 1998). Loprinzo (2009) found that the majority of users did not know all of the services offered by the library. Is technical services for computer help? Are serials something you eat? Can you get your blood pressure checked at the circulation desk? As the authors pose these questions tongue-in-cheek, there is some reality to these queries. Boyd (1993) found that terms like “reference,” “circulation” and “periodical” meant little to library users, especially those not from North America. She concluded that keeping away from library jargon and using simplified language on signage is helpful in directing all library users. Library users are often unaware who is a librarian compared to other library staff members (Massey-Burzio, 1998). Library users often assume anyone behind a public service desk is a librarian and as Arndt (2010) observed, if student workers staff the desk when the librarians are out this further confuses the patron. Additionally, Hernon and Pastine (1977) and Fagan (2003) supported this in their research, finding that no difference was made between professional librarians and clerical staff. This issue is problematic when there is more than one service desk and the signage is not clear. As Tyckoson (2001) states, “users frequently did not know where to go or who to ask for help” (p. 261) and have no problem asking whoever in the library is available. This can be frustrating for the library users who may need a trained librarian who can answer a research question or give assignment help, not just a polite answer from a staff person on a directional question or the checking out of a book. In some academic libraries, changing the layout of the reference service area has proven to influence the recognition and visibility of the librarian. When Oberlin College in Ohio redesigned their reference area by changing signs, furniture and equipment, they had an increase in usage. Their reference desk signs now read “Research Help” and “Information” (Mitchell, Comer, Starkey, & Francis, 2011). The signage change seemed to give users more clues as to where to go in the library for help with assignments. The Regis Reference Services Department hoped that a similar change would increase the number of reference transactions and clarify the services offered at their service desk. METHODOLOGY The Regis Reference Services Department developed a survey to gather information about how the library is used, whether users know what the term “reference” means, and whether they can tell what services are offered by observing the sign over the reference desk. Although the primary goal of the study was to gather data about renaming the department, the survey was also an opportunity to collect more information on library usage. Several online and print versions were drafted and revised until the survey was ready to pilot. The print survey had seven questions. The online version was created with the Springshare LibGuides survey tool and included eight questions. The additional question was the result of separating the two-part question in the print version into two separate questions online because of the way the Springshare survey tool functioned. The two versions of the survey were otherwise identical. The first survey question asked the respondent what type of user they were, e.g., faculty, undergraduate, etc. The next four questions (the next five of the online version) included both multiple choice and
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
K.L. O'Neill, B.A. Guilfoyle / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx Table 1 Final survey questions. 1. Who are you? Undergraduate student__
Graduate student__
Faculty__
Staff__
Guest__
2. If you use the Regis Library, how do you use it? (circle all that apply) In-person Email Phone Chat Website 3. How often do you use the Regis Library each month? If none, why? Once 2–5 times 5–10 times 10 or We have a more library? 4. Do you ever use the assistance of the Librarians? Yes No If yes, what services have they provided to you? 5. If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research? 6. If you needed help with research at the Library, what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location? 7. Thinking about libraries what words come to mind when you hear or see the word “Reference?”
open-ended questions and collected data about how, why, and how often respondents used the library, and what resources they used to meet their information needs. The last two questions were aimed at collecting data about what the word “reference” meant to respondents and what words respondents could supply as potential alternatives to the word “reference” (Table 1). The survey was piloted during some bibliographic instruction sessions in the Fall Semester of 2013 in both print and online versions. This was done to ensure that the questions were understandable, drew a reasonable response, and that the online version was easy to use. The option of a printed survey or the link to the online survey was provided to students and faculty during the pilot. Review of the pilot survey results showed that the questionnaire was on track to meet the desired outcomes. Afterward, a Regis University Exempt Institutional Review Board (IRB) application was submitted and approved. The survey project was launched during a two-week period before mid-terms in February 2014. The five physical locations selected to distribute the survey were the Dayton Memorial Library's Reference, Circulation and Media Services desks, Regis' Learning Commons, and one of the biggest and busiest classroom buildings located across campus from the library. The Learning Commons and the classroom building were chosen as distribution sites because many users access the library online and do not visit the library building. The online survey was available to anyone who used the Library online or in-person. Signs with survey URLs were posted on each computer monitor in the Dayton Memorial Library. Links to the survey were on the website, in some
3
online course forums, and sent via email to all faculty and staff in the University. During the survey period, print surveys were distributed in-person at the Dayton Memorial Library and the other locations. Candy was offered as an incentive to fill out the survey because it was felt that this was a low-value reward that would not encourage cheating by filling out multiple surveys. This method was highly successful as librarians were only declined a few times when students were approached. When solicited to take part in the survey, the participant could either fill in the print survey or choose to take the online version. At the end of the survey time period of fourteen days, the online survey was closed and data was collected from LibGuides to generate a spreadsheet. The print surveys were collected, tallied and the data was merged with the online survey data. In total (online & print) 436 surveys were collected. The data was easily coded for the closed questions, but open-ended questions required more attention. The authors independently created categories for each open-ended question based on the narrative responses. They coded the respondent data within the categories. Once coded the authors met to mitigate discrepancies in their choice of categories and codes, to finally create one uniform version of the data. IBM SPSS® Statistics v. 22 software was used to analyze the data to provide frequencies and percentages of responses by user type and as a whole. RESULTS Question 1 collected data on each user's affiliation with the library. Of the 436 respondents, 173 respondents were undergraduate students, 49 graduate students, 182 faculty, 21 staff and 11 community users. Although feedback was solicited from university staff and community library users, the main purpose of this study was to gather information from those whose primary focus was using the library for academic research and study. Therefore, the staff and community data were not included in the final analysis below. Question 2 asked respondents how they use the library. Answer choices included the access points of website, in person, email, phone, or chat. More than one answer could be selected by the respondent. Overall, website use (79.4%) led the way, followed by in person (70.5%), email (19.2%), phone (12.1%), and chat (4.3%). Broken down by user type, data from Question 2 indicated that the faculty are the largest users of the library's remote services including web, phone, and email, whereas undergraduate and graduate students come into the library more often (Fig. 1). It may be at Regis University that faculty will call or email from their offices while undergraduates need a place to study and “hang out” so librarians tend to see them in the library more. How often patrons use the Regis University Library was asked in Question 3. Most respondents answered that they use the library 2–5 times per month (32.5%) closely followed by 10 or more times per
100 90 80 70 60 undergraduate
50
graduate
40
faculty
30 20 10 0 website
in-person
phone
chat
Fig. 1. How do you use the Library? (% by user group).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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40 35 30 undergraduate
25
graduate
20
faculty
15 10 5 0 Once
2-5 times
5-10 times
10 or more times
We have a library?
Fig. 2. How often do you use the library? (% by user group).
month (30.1%) (Fig. 2). The survey did not ask those patrons which service they used during those visits to the library building or website, so it could have been by any of the means in Question 2. By looking at combined undergraduate and graduate student responses (209) versus faculty (163) responses, it was clear that there was a greater absolute number of student uses, so it may hold that signage should be more relevant to that user type. Question 4 had two parts, the first asked if the patron used the assistance of the librarians. 67.6% of faculty use the assistance of the librarians as opposed to 52.6% of the undergraduates and 65.3% of the graduate students. This does not seem like a significant variation but the higher faculty “use” may be related to the fact that the librarians are asked to instruct students in specific courses. The second part of Question 4 was open-ended and asked what services the librarians provided to respondents. Finding books was listed as the largest service provided to all user types at 32.5% (Fig. 3). The results also showed that graduate students need more technical support (28.6%), online help (14.3%) and research assistance (14.3%) as a group (Fig. 3). Perhaps this relates to the number of graduate students who are returning to school after a long absence or taking courses online. Although it was not a main component of the study the authors felt that they could gather additional information by adding Question 5. This was an open-ended question added to ascertain user preferences for
information resources used outside the library collections. The survey asked, “If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research?” The majority of all respondents indicated that general web searching was their primary source of information. This is not surprising considering website access was the highest type of library access overall (Fig. 1). However, because of their popularity, it was interesting that Google (6.4%) and Google Scholar (4.1%) were only a small portion of the total responses and did not rank higher. Google products were the first non-subscription site choice for undergraduate students as one might predict whereas, general web searching was selected by faculty (32.7%) and graduate students (12.7%) as their top means of getting to non-Regis Library resources (Fig. 4). The limitations and issues with this question are discussed later. Question 6 was referred to as the “naming” question. The idea behind this question was the inspiration that led to the creation of the survey. The signs posted above the Reference Desk simply stated “Reference.” The authors expected that responses to Question 6, “If you needed help with research at the Library, what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location?” would reveal some creative alternatives for a more relevant sign for the Reference Desk, a new name for the department, or provide evidence that the existing terminology was the best choice. The four most popular words provided by respondents overall were “help” (36.2%), “research” (26.1%), “reference” (17.4%), and “assistance” (12.8%) (Fig. 5). This
35 30 25 20 undergraduate
15
graduate
10
faculty 5 0
Fig. 3. What services have the Librarian provided you? (% by user group).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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5
20 18 16 14 12 undergraduate
10 8
graduate
6
faculty
4 2 0 web (general)
databases
library catalog
Scholar
instructors
Fig. 4. If you do not use the library, how do you get your information? (% by user group).
trend was consistent through all three user types, but the breakdown by user type revealed a little more information. By user type, 23.7% of the undergraduate students surveyed thought the word “reference” led them to seek assistance at the desk. Graduate students and faculty responded with the term “help” and “research” more often than “reference.” However, in the end, “help” was by far the winner overall (Fig. 6). To further the exploration of terminology, library users were asked how they perceive the word “reference,” the current name used for the desk and department. Question 7 asked, “Thinking about libraries what words come to mind when you hear or see the word ‘Reference?’” The top words in the order that all respondents chose to define reference were “research” (18.8%), “help” (18.8%), “books” (18.5%), “articles” (16.2%), “information” (13.3%), and “reference” (9.4%) (Fig. 7). Once again, books scored high. The authors speculated that students and faculty tie the word reference to books as in “reference book” or “reference list.” This is in line with the Oxford English Dictionary (1999) definition of “reference book,” “a book used for reference purposes” (p. 465). Looking at what each user type thought about reference, it was found that undergraduate students listed “help” (30.6%) as the word that most came to mind, whereas faculty responded with “books” (17.6%) and graduate students replied “articles” (28.6%) (Fig. 7). Finally, to get a word picture and frequency distribution of the words provided by library users, Wordle.net was used to create a word cloud (Fig. 8). A Wordle displays words in a meaningful graphic format based on how often each word is present in a document. The Wordle displayed the words that library users felt described the services offered by the department as represented in answers to Question 7. The graphical representation helped illustrate the evidence that the data supplied for a name change. It was also used to create a poster and an advertisement for the Reference Services Department.
that the virtual reference (VR) service had fairly low usage. They had an idea that this was true based on statistics collected for that service, however, the survey led to a discussion of why. The consensus was that it was due to less time put into marketing the service and staffing concerns. Now that the newly hired librarians are also involved in VR at Regis, there is an opportunity for increased marketing of this helpful service. In turn, data from Question 3 revealed that the undergraduate students come into the library building more often than faculty and graduate students. This lends credence to the fact that librarians observed that the library's new study spaces and the availability of study rooms have drawn more students into the building to study. During a recent finals week, it was noted that nearly every seat was filled and all of the study rooms were reserved. Finding books was the lead service claimed to be used by the students and faculty as revealed in Question 4. This was curious because the authors feel that they rarely just locate a book. The authors thought that the results would show a higher percentage for research assistance, but they did not. At Regis, the freshman writing seminar instructors require students to seek out a librarian to help them find books for one of their first assignments. Also, some of the librarians report that at certain times of the year the students come to the desk to request textbooks or reserve items. These facts could explain the results for the high number of responses for “finding books.” Or, perhaps students simply do not know that more services are available to them, such as research or topic development assistance. This answer also presents an opportunity for the library to develop more marketing materials and information sessions about all of the services the library offers.
3.4 3.4 4.3 6.2
DISCUSSION
help 36.2
The goal of this research was to gather evidence about how library users perceive the Regis University Library Reference Services Department and Reference Desk. Although not tasked with this project, the new librarians hoped that the results would guide a proposal to rename the department to something that they felt better fit its updated character and service. The survey shed light on multiple aspects of the Reference Services Department's services and user perception. Additionally, it was a great way to market the library and new librarians through the delivery of the survey in the library and the other locations. As the authors were novices at survey development, delivery and data analysis this was a great opportunity to develop their skills. The survey results brought to light a number of discussion items for the authors. Through the results of Question 2 the authors discovered
research reference
12.8
assistance librarian ask questions resources
17.4
26.1
Fig. 5. Words on a sign? (% of total users).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
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Fig. 6. What words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location? (% by user group).
number of responses for Question 7. This caused the authors to recheck the data to verify this fact. Out of the 436 surveys returned, only seven listed the word “information” for “…what words on a sign would let you know that you could get help at this location?” At this time, the authors have no explanation for this phenomenon. Perhaps, Regis students and faculty felt that the term was too general or basic. A future study could allow for an exploration of why this occurred. After consideration of the evidence, the Reference Services Department decided to rename the Dayton Memorial Library reference desk with signage that says “Research Help” because of the high percentage of responses to those terms for Question 6. The authors created a new sign that now hangs above reference desk. The authors used the Wordle to create an advertisement that highlighted the findings. The department also recommended to the Dean of the Library that position titles change from “Reference Librarians” to “Research & Instruction Librarians” in keeping with the results from the survey.
In the end, Questions 6 and 7 were really the heart of this survey. The authors wanted to seek answers to their original problem: What to call the department and what sign should sit above the reference desk? The overall results revealed that 26.1% of users selected “Research” for the word on a sign that would allow them to know they could get help at the desk. The fact that “help” stood out on top at 36.2% of the responses made the authors wonder: Does this term convey a feeling of desperation on the part of library users, or does it show that Regis faculty and students feel that the librarians are helpful and that they know they can get assistance by coming to the desk? Perhaps the responses reflect that undergraduate students feel they need “help” as they navigate the university and learn about resources probably not available to them in high school, whereas graduate students and faculty need to cite “references” that are chiefly articles and books. That 23.7% of the undergraduates surveyed still associated the department with the word “reference” lends credence to those in the department who felt that students knew what reference meant. Undergraduate students who take the writing seminar get instruction and a tour of the library and reference area. Accordingly, these undergraduates may have had more exposure to the use of the word “reference” at the Dayton Memorial Library, which may contribute to their knowledge of the term's meaning. On the other hand, online students, graduate students, and faculty do not regularly get this instruction. It was also puzzling that the word “information” appeared in very few responses for the answer to Question 6, but was in a moderate
LIMITATIONS As new faculty and novices in the design, delivery and analysis of surveys, the authors had some challenges to overcome. Despite their enthusiasm and hard work on the survey design, the Exempt IRB application approval process delayed the start of the survey by a few months. This was not a major obstacle, but because timing was important, the delay added some stress.
scholarly databases assistance resource reference
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articles books help research 0
5
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15
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Fig. 7. What words come to mind when you hear or see the word Reference? (% by user).
Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007
K.L. O'Neill, B.A. Guilfoyle / The Journal of Academic Librarianship xxx (2015) xxx–xxx
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Fig. 8. Wordle.
Upon reflection of the outcomes, the authors recognized that some questions would have been easier to evaluate if they allowed closedended rather than open-ended responses. Leaving the questions openended gave the respondents more freedom to come up with their own ideas and be creative, but some of the respondents were a little too creative, or failed to address the question at all. Perhaps questions with closed-ended responses, and the addition of an option to add comments might have been easier to interpret. Based on their data analysis, the authors would rephrase or eliminate Question 5 if they distributed this survey again. An alternative to, “If you do not use library resources, how do you find information to complete class assignments or conduct research?” could be “On occasions you don't use the Library, how do you get your information?” or, “If you never use the Library, how do you get your information?” Question 5 also revealed that students did not know what “use the library,” meant. The authors erroneously assumed that students would understand that both online library resources and the physical resources within the building were all part of the library. One respondent commented, “I use the academic databases and search keywords…” Perhaps the respondent did not know that databases are library resources, but more likely, they did not understand the question. There were several similar responses, therefore a closed-ended question or highlighting that the authors were looking specifically for non-library resources would have helped clarify this question. Or, perhaps it could have been left out altogether being it was put in simply to gather more information and not to answer the main objective. As stated earlier, this was a learning experience for the authors and they learned a number of lessons in the process that will allow them to choose to conduct a survey project from a more enlightened perspective. If this project were to be repeated, the authors might choose to deliver a shorter survey with closed-ended questions to eliminate errors in interpretation of the questions or data. Other options for meeting the goal are the use of polling software, other online survey tools, focus groups or holding a contest to name the desk. Any of these options would have probably resulted in a similar outcome. We limited the delivery of the survey to Regis' main campus. To increase responses in the future, the authors would disseminate the survey to the satellite campuses or link it to the Learning Management System. Nevertheless, even with the shortcomings mentioned, plenty of things went right. The survey and the delivery time were short and allowed for the flexibility of online and print responses. The library faculty delivered surveys to students personally, which led to successful
data collection, and allowed new librarians to be visible and sociable in several locations. In addition, the data provided the needed evidence for the proposed change. CONCLUSION There is little current research on library department naming practices or exploration of the definitions of those names. This research fills a gap in that knowledge. It provided the Regis Library Reference Services Department solid data to present to the Dean of the Library and the university administration for the proposed changes to the department's name and to librarian position titles. This evidence also garnered support for a name change from Reference Desk to Research Help Desk. The practical nature of this project that led from concept to completion helped the authors and other librarians new to their faculty role experience the process of how to carry out research at the university level. Finally, the entire project was a great opportunity for the new and experienced members of the Reference Services Department (soon to be Research and Instruction Department) to work together and make contact with potential users outside the Dayton Memorial Library building. If students and faculty did not know the librarians before, they know them now. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Regis University and the Regis University Library supported this work. Thank you to the Regis University Reference Services Department faculty, Paul Mascarenas and Lindsay Brownfield for help in survey development and distribution; Martin Garnar, MLS for copy editing assistance; Erin McCaffrey, MLS for copy editing and online survey creation assistance; and Anna Floyd, Ph.D. for assistance with statistical analysis. REFERENCES American Library Association, & Reference and User Services Association (2008). Definitions of reference. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/ definitionsreference Arndt, T. S. (2010). Reference service without the desk. Reference Services Review, 38(1), 71–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00907321011020734. Boyd, D.R. (1993). Creating signs for multicultural patrons. The Acquisitions Librarian, 5(9–10), 61–66. Carlson, S. (2007). Are reference desks dying out? Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(33), A37–A39.
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Please cite this article as: O'Neill, K.L., & Guilfoyle, B.A., Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign: What Does “Reference” Mean to Academic Library Users? The Journal of Academic Librarianship (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.05.007