The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Mary A. Durlak

After years of computer evolution and millions of gigabytes, the high-tech revolution has transformed a librarian’s work in ways unimaginable even a decade ago. Yet the role of the librarian, in its most essential function, has not changed at all.

“Our role remains what it has always been—to help our patrons get the information they need,” said Maureen Lindstrom, associate director for information commons at E. H. Butler Library.

By embracing both innovation and tradition, E. H. Butler Library has become a leader not only among SUNY libraries but also across New York State. EBSCO, a major vendor of the information databases provided by libraries, told Lindstrom that Butler Library patrons conducted more searches of EBSCO’s offerings than did patrons of any other college library in New York State, public or private.

What this tells Lindstrom is that the patron-centered focus emphasized by the creation of Information Commons in 2004 is paying off. Information Commons was designed to be a one-stop shop where students could have all their questions answered. It was the first such setup in SUNY and has served as a model for other campuses within and outside of the SUNY system. Today, Information Commons includes StudyQuad, the Reference Desk, the Rooftop Poetry Club, the Application Support Desk (offering students help using software), the Computing Help Desk, digital equipment loans for academic purposes, the Writing Help Center, and a Student Advisement Office, which answers students’ general nonacademic questions. Oh, yes: students can pick up their ID cards and bus passes there, too.

That’s the brick-and-mortar part of it. Lindstrom noted that the virtual library is continuously expanding. The bits and bytes of information stored on digital networks have become more accessible to students, due in large part to librarian Al Riess’s wizardly way with databases. Working with tools provided by the vendors who supply electronic periodicals, journals, and books, Riess has developed streamlined ways for students to find information.

“Students tell us that their professors don’t want any information from Google or Wikipedia,” said Riess. “So they need to use more sophisticated search tools effectively. We have developed ways for them to get targeted results through database searches.” For example, one such search scans only peer-reviewed journals; another search brings students to full-text articles. More full-text resources are constantly being made available: the library will soon offer 50,000 books online. Even old publications have been digitized. The oldest journal available in electronic format, Philosophical Transactions, dates back to 1665.

The library’s staff has aggressively reached out to the student community by integrating library research with freshman orientation, by providing each academic department with a library liaison, and by working closely with faculty members to improve students’ academic research skills.

“We taught 2,250 students in our individual bibliographic instruction course between July and December 2008,” said Lindstrom.

Librarians are faculty members who have the same professional obligations as professors, including scholarship, service, and professional growth. One way the library has deepened its level of service is to pay attention to feedback from focus groups.

“We implemented the ideas we got from a focus group,” said Riess. “Putting desktop references such as dictionaries and encyclopedias on the library’s Web site was one simple idea that has worked very well.” Another simple idea was to move the reference librarians to the front of the circulation desk.

“It’s easier for students to see your face,” said Riess, “and they are more likely to approach you.”

In fact, students are asking more questions of reference librarians these days. “About five years ago,” said Lindstrom, “use of reference librarians was down. Now we have two people busy all the time. That’s rare among libraries.”

“The questions are meatier and more complex, too,” said Riess.

That’s a good thing to a librarian. “When your patron says ‘I wish I would have asked you for help sooner,’” said Lindstrom, “it’s the best feeling in the world.”