Making Academic Reference Services Work

Recent discussion of reference service in academic libraries has considered alternative approaches to service and has called on academic reference librarians to play new roles. Absent from most of the discussion is an understanding that organizational changes are required if reference librarians are to accomplish what is being asked of them. Without these organization changes these new roles and responsibilities will be impossible. To make reference service in academic libraries effective five changes are required: (1) reference librarians must be given clear budgetary and programmatic authority; (2) the hierarchy must be flattened and reference librarians placed closer to the top of the organization; (3) support services must be provided so that reference librarians are not encumbered by nonprofessional tasks; (4) reference librarians should be brought together and not isolated in small departments; and (5) public services planning in priority setting should be done by reference librarians.