Customer service is a core component of user experience and an important element in making patrons feel welcomed and valued within our libraries. At the University of Maryland Libraries, we took on the challenging task of creating a customer service training curriculum for all staff working at public service points and offering a digital badge for…

The Oregon State University Valley Library has been open 24 hours per day, five days per week, during regular academic terms since 2010. The authors collected survey data during 2012 to explore how students used the hours and whether they perceived that the provision of 24/5 hours contributes to their academic success. Nearly 90% of the…

Some librarians embrace discovery tools while others refuse to use them. This lack of consensus can have consequences for student learning when there is inconsistent use, especially in large-scale instruction programs. The authors surveyed academic librarians whose institutions have a discovery tool and who teach information literacy classes in…

Signage represents more than directions or policies; it is informational, promotional, and sets the tone of the environment. To be effective, signage must be consistent, concise, and free of jargon and punitive language. An efficient assessment of signage should include a complete inventory of existing signage, including an analysis of the types…

Although it is well known that music can affect cognitive processes, little research has been conducted examining the influence of background music on students in information literacy classrooms. In 2010, librarians at Western Michigan University investigated the effect of background music on student engagement and retention of information…

Academic reference services face great challenges as they cope with the pace of technological change, competition from other information service providers, and tight budgets. In fact, some critics suggest that reference services are no longer relevant or necessary as more information moves online. This study examines a nationwide survey that…

The use of rigorous assessment in an Information Literacy program can be used to persuade reluctant faculty and administrators to buy into a program. A "culture of assessment" also assures quality control for internal and external audiences. Information Literacy at Wartburg College is unique in that it is a required component of five core courses…

The University of Texas at Arlington's Library began using an online chat reference in 2002. The service, called Collaborative Digital Reference Service, later became "Ask a Librarian." Slightly over one year later, the library joined the University of Texas System's "Ask a Librarian" service. Both services are powered by software suite called…

A study to explore public librarians' attitudes and opinions concerning issues of intellectual freedom, collection balance, and controversial materials focused on the availability of Holocaust-denial literature. Results indicate that librarians, regardless of outside pressures, would provide access to this material. A copy of the survey is…

Describes a study that compared the cost-effectiveness of consolidated county libraries in large metropolitan areas of the Midwest with the cost-effectiveness of large city libraries which share service to the county with other large public library systems. The questionnaire used in the survey is appended. (Author/LRW)