Public Library Information Desks Project
This project is an attempt to gather information on how public libraries of all shapes and sizes are directing the flow of traffic within their physical spaces and how this impacts the Reference Department. Information has been gathered through an online survey as well as by allowing public libraries that are interested in sharing more the opportunity to contribute to this wiki.
The Results
There seemed to have been some confusion as to the wording of the survey itself in parts and some responses proved that the most value in this survey is not the data gathered but the potential conversation underlying. You can see the raw data in the spreadsheet linked below, to the right you can find a copy of the survey questions as well as a quick overview of survey responses.
Continue the conversation by adding to this wiki!
Join this wiki & comment, create a page for or upload any of the following:
- Information desk policies
- Core competencies for staff of information desk
- Guidelines for answering vs. referring questions at information desk
- Statistics gathered at Public Library information desks
Comments (1)
sara.weissman@mainlib.org said
at 7:08 pm on Feb 4, 2010
We did a trial of a lobby info desk last year (4 mos). Found it garnered a question every 6 minutes, but few were reference. Most were the directional questions well handled by our (non-professionally staffed) Circ desk: where is my meeting? the media? the restrooms? the xerox machines, etc. etc. We decided not to open an info desk, as was not an effective use of professional time or training.//Morris County answered 82,552 reference questions in 2009, at four service points: Reference, Reader Services, Children's, Music & Media desks.
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