SLIS 5630: UCLA Science Library -- User Services.

Yesterday, although I wrote about the user-oriented double tiered reference service in my local library, I concluded feeling somewhat wary that I had not touched upon any elements involving STEM or scientific information. The truth is, Santa Monica Public Library is a public lending library and their attempts to service the scientific or technological community are limited to what you might find in any generic library in the Dewey 500s section.

I wanted to actually explore some of the user services available specifically in a STEM library, and to do this, I decided to log onto the nearest library that specifically services students engaged in the scientific fields. The library that came immediately to mind, of course, was the one servicing UCLA’s STEM student and faculty community. This library’s web presence is clearly less than five years old, making it a good candidate for analysis.

The UCLA Science and Engineering library may be found at http://guides.library.ucla.edu/content.php?pid=57686. The home page offers a number of user-friendly informational details, such as a link to an FAQ page containing links to a number of user-centered basic topics, including how to find the library, procedures for renewing books online, and the usual library advisory offerings about copyright, plagiarism, and patents.

However, of more germane interest to the provenance of this class in reference services for science and technology, are the subject specific sections. Scrolling downwards, I found a list of “subjects supported,” which described the long list of scientific areas available for students. I clicked on “chemistry and biochemistry”, which took me to a page specifically devoted to the fields. On the left side of the page may be found a column entitled “research guides,” and these appeared to be keyed to individual classes – there’s one for the specific introduction to chemistry course, for example. Clicking the links to the individual classes takes one to pages listing individual science class reading lists, along with a modified powerpoint display on how to find scientific information, created by the class’s embedded librarian. Links along the top of the page send users to lists of the scientific scholarly professional organizations. Another link takes readers to a launch platform that allows the user to select e-journals, which, presumably, will be full text.

To put the library within the context of this class’s assignment, to describe how the layout works for the user base, I would note that the site appears to be designed very carefully for ease of access. In many respects, I think this site is much more intuitive and cunningly designed than, say, UNT’s science sites, which require you to know how to manipulate the library’s home page before finding the science information.

It is clear from the synthesis of library content to class work that the site has been designed with a great deal of cooperation with the professors teaching the material. And I really liked the way that each page has a window allowing the user to contact embedded librarian “Courtney”.

That said, I am not entirely sure how useful the site would be for faculty – not undergraduates, but the Professors who might use the library for their own research. It seems likely that when the needs are more elevated and higher in requirement, the professors probably utilize other resources. Nevertheless, with its attention to detail, I would consider this a great site to study if one wanted to learn how to create an excellent science library site.

SLIS 5630: User Services 1: Santa Monica Public Library

The Main Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library entirely rebuilt its facilities approximately five years ago. I am told that some time in the next year or so, the head librarians will be performing an “environmental scan” of the institution to ensure that it is meeting the needs of its stakeholders. Because Santa Monica PL is publicly funded, all changes and renovations to the place are inevitably placed within the thematic context of what the alterations bring to the users. Users are the alpha and omega of this public library system.

In this blog posting, I would like to discuss the changes to the structure of the reference system, and the impact they appear to have had on the user base. In the previous library, there was one system for reference questions, consisting of a gigantic wall-length desk at which several prune-faced librarians would sit, answering all questions. It was not the happiest atmosphere. I used to visit the library myself when I was a boy and then again before the place closed, and the only thing that changed for decades was the fact that the librarians used to wear pants suits and sport Farrah hair dos. I was pleased to see the end of the pant suits, but I would not mind if Farrah hair made a comeback.

Strangely enough, in terms of service provided, the public never seemed to have many questions for the librarians of yore at the Santa Monica Public Library – and Santa Monica had a rather poor reputation for reference services. People were too afraid to approach the intimidating-seeming desks, which resembled nothing so much as a judge’s bench – and the position at the desks appeared to create a sort of “attitude-y state which, while it might not have been actual, was perceived as real by the patrons.

The renovation of the Santa Monica Public Library split the library into two floors – fiction on the main floor and non fiction on the floor above. But more importantly, reference services have been split into two sections. The first floor has a sort of receptionist desk right inside the main doors. This table has room for two staff members – a minimum of one of them will always be a public services librarian, but the other might be a librarian or might be a paraprofessional imported from the circulation check out desk. This desk is where patrons seeking easy ready reference questions can quickly find their answers.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, there’s a line of three rather pretty little desks that more resemble the marble counters found at a Starbucks. This is where the three actual bona fide reference librarians sit. Behind them are the stacks and stacks of reference books, containing the government information and scientific indexes available for reference questions.

The new atmosphere is one of approachability – and, in truth, as a result of this retrofitting, the librarians appear to handle more questions than ever before. I am not entirely certain how many of the questions are academic in nature – the residents of Santa Monica appear mostly to want to learn how to access government information or want to discover trivia for purposes of entertainment – but providing scientific information is certainly part of the reference librarians’ purview.

Santa Monica does operate with some defined “subject specialist” librarians. In particular, there are a pair of librarians who specialize in technical information – stuff involving computers and technology. They operate a “petting zoo” to instruct patrons on the use of the newest gizmos and geegaws, from Kindles to Ipads. They are also the figures who are the ultimate overseers of the 70 public internet stations, deciding the policies relating to time limits, filtering (there’s none), and programs installed onto the computers.

Santa Monica’s collection development policy specifies that works retained by the library should appeal to a general audience, with an overall emphasis on self help. Thus, in terms of STEM materials, the print works consist of basic textbooks and how to manuals, along with some subject specific items. There are some text books – along with the sort of science books by popular culture mavens like Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawkings, as well as the great philosophers and scholars. However, the general goal is not to provide material for academic or advanced scholars – it is believed that there are other options in LA for that sort of thing.

SLIS 5630: Reference for Science and Technology.

Well, all right. For the many who know me, I am not just a theater critic – now I am a librarian, too! Or, it seems that’s what I shall be after I graduate with an MLIS in about a month’s time.

Now, this term I am taking a class in reference for the fields of science and technology. One of our assignments this term is to create a Science Blog, or at least to create a blog that is going to be used to post a message or two on the topics near and dear to the class. I actually think that if I WERE a science librarian, I would probably create a science blog and fill it with useful information on resources for my target user group. This would, as I have learned, be as much about teaching the users about how to find the information they want, as it would be about marketing the library.

As it happens, I have had a blog here for quite some time! Actually, I have had several blogs – but this is the cleanest and most presentable, and so it earns the privilege of being “my class project.”

Back in my Advanced Management Class (can you imagine, I took a class with that title!), we discussed Advocacy and how making people remember the library is available and useful is one of the librarian’s prime duties. After all, what is to be done when budget cutting time arrives and all the library is appears to be a big pile of books in a room?

I expect that if I had the good luck to be hired as a science librarian, I would frequently update with posts about “how to use Web of Science!” to locate important information. Or maybe I would try to post frequent little tricks on general web searching – “10 Tricks You Can Do With Google” sort of things. My feeling is that a library blog should probably be half “corporate voice” and half “in flight magazine.” Lure em in with sugar and prove the library’s use.

As it happens, though, for the assignment for this class on Reference for Science and Technology, I have been given very specific instructions. Thus, over the next couple of days, you can expect to see some posts here that will be geared towards this class. So do join me for some fun and entertainment here on my glamorous big blog!