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Using Library Handbooks To Compensate for Reductions in Reference Staff.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Using Library Handbooks To Compensate for Reductions in Reference Staff.
Language: English
Authors: Willingham, Patricia, Pracht, Carl
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 1996
Document Type: Reports - Descriptive
Descriptors: Academic Libraries, Access to Information, College Students, Faculty, Higher Education, Librarian Teacher Cooperation, Library Funding, Library Guides, Library Instruction, Library Personnel, Library Policy, Library Services, Reference Services, User Needs (Information)
Abstract: At Southeast Missouri State University, library handbooks have been developed in an effort to meet patron needs in an environment of reduced library staff. The first handbook, "Welcome to Kent Library," was developed to meet the needs of the revamped general education program, and was given free to first-year students in a required seminar class with a unit on using the library. Library staff found that faculty scheduled fewer bibliographic instruction sessions with library staff, and instead they relied on the handbook for basic library information. After the success of the student handbook, a faculty handbook was developed and distributed to all faculty. The handbooks were successful because they targeted specific audiences, used a simple organizational structure, were written in clear and concise language, and included only the most important information, with a referral to the appropriate contact person provided at the end of each section. The process forced the clarification and updating of written library policies and procedures, and identified inconsistencies or gaps in policy or procedures. The handbooks have helped address the reductions in reference staff by enabling many patrons to help themselves use the library's services with little or no assistance from the librarians. (SWC)
Entry Date: 1997
Accession Number: ED401891
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED401891
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PubType: Report
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IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Using Library Handbooks To Compensate for Reductions in Reference Staff.
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Willingham%2C+Patricia%22">Willingham, Patricia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pracht%2C+Carl%22">Pracht, Carl</searchLink>
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1996
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Descriptive
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Libraries%22">Academic Libraries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Information%22">Access to Information</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty%22">Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Librarian+Teacher+Cooperation%22">Librarian Teacher Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Funding%22">Library Funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Guides%22">Library Guides</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Instruction%22">Library Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Personnel%22">Library Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Policy%22">Library Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Services%22">Library Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reference+Services%22">Reference Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22User+Needs+%28Information%29%22">User Needs (Information)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: At Southeast Missouri State University, library handbooks have been developed in an effort to meet patron needs in an environment of reduced library staff. The first handbook, "Welcome to Kent Library," was developed to meet the needs of the revamped general education program, and was given free to first-year students in a required seminar class with a unit on using the library. Library staff found that faculty scheduled fewer bibliographic instruction sessions with library staff, and instead they relied on the handbook for basic library information. After the success of the student handbook, a faculty handbook was developed and distributed to all faculty. The handbooks were successful because they targeted specific audiences, used a simple organizational structure, were written in clear and concise language, and included only the most important information, with a referral to the appropriate contact person provided at the end of each section. The process forced the clarification and updating of written library policies and procedures, and identified inconsistencies or gaps in policy or procedures. The handbooks have helped address the reductions in reference staff by enabling many patrons to help themselves use the library's services with little or no assistance from the librarians. (SWC)
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 1997
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: ED401891
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED401891
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  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Academic Libraries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Information
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Librarian Teacher Cooperation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Guides
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Personnel
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library Services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reference Services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: User Needs (Information)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Using Library Handbooks To Compensate for Reductions in Reference Staff.
        Type: main
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          Name:
            NameFull: Willingham, Patricia
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            NameFull: Pracht, Carl
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Type: published
              Y: 1996
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