For the PCs where we help patrons should they be logged off:
Username: svclibref
Password: ref32
The Reference staff member or student assistant on the first shift of duty is responsible for preparing the reference area for service:
The Reference staff member or student assistant on the last shift of duty is responsible for closing the area for service:
One of the desk responsibilities is to monitor the Ask-A-Librarian virtual reference service - chat, text, and email.
NOTE: Be sure to adjust the volume of the computer's speakers so you are alerted to chat/text messages.
Please see additional tab under "Services" for more detailed information regarding our Ask-a-Librarian chat/email/text service.
Staffing:
The Reference Department is staffed by reference library faculty, information specialists, computer technology specialists, and library faculty from various departments in the main library (for convenience, those staffing the Reference Desk will be referred to as Reference Assistants throughout this document). Usually two reference assistants staff the desk each shift.
Library faculty and information specialists are teamed, as often as possible, with computer technology assistants in order to provide patrons with research and technological assistance.
On evenings and weekends, student assistants help staff the desk. They are paired with the evening and weekend librarians but may be the only reference staff available for the last hour or two of service.
Scheduling:
Coordinator - The Reference Information Specialist with assistance from the Reference Department head.
The reference schedule is maintained on Gmail/Calendar (available for viewing from staff computers) and a print copy is available at the Reference Desk. Shifts are:
The Reference Information Specialist develops and maintains the schedule for the Reference Desk. Adjustments are made as needed. The online calendar is a record of reference activities, observations, etc.
