ERIC Number: ED316259
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1989-Nov
Pages: 8
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
An Examination of the Role of Reference Librarians in the Light of New Technology.
Kratzert, Mona Y.
The implementation of a wide range of CD-ROM services in the California State University (Fullerton) libraries is described in this report. The three-part CD-ROM "Master Plan" outlines the library's fundamental technological goals--i.e., to offer university-level technologies, to develop a CD-ROM end-user facility with ample resources and opportunities, and to use lottery funds to explore CD-ROM technologies. The 17 CD-ROMs and accompanying services that were rapidly introduced within a 1.5 year period are then discussed, including major issues faced during that time. Suggestions are offered for establishing a management system to allow end users to access the technologies with minimal supervision from library personnel. These suggestions include: (1) placing workstations requiring the most librarian assistance closest to the reference desk; (2) setting up written procedures and dividing tasks--e.g., turning the machines on and off, changing paper, ink, and disks, etc.--among staff; (3) equipping workstations with signs, user aids, sample searches, a paper index and thesaurus, and sign-up procedures; (4) incorporating CD-ROMs into regular bibliographic instruction sessions; (5) cultivating an expert end user by producing advanced documentation; (6) roaming the CD-ROM area during peak times to answer questions; and (7) keeping statistics and means for program evaluation. (SD)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the California Library Association Meeting (Oakland, CA, November 11-14, 1989).