It's not us, it's you: Putting users at the center of library service design

Abstract

When designing library services, it is important to take into account individual behaviors and mindsets, as well as the needs of library users. With statistics for in-person reference queries dropping at many of our libraries, we have the opportunity to re-envision our approach to public services and create a suite of options that fulfill patrons' needs while maximizing the time, capacity, and expertise of library personnel. One such option involves positioning paraprofessional staff at public service points to handle on-demand reference queries, as they are already available and situated to help patrons. Through training and support, staff are well-equipped to answer reference questions and with the right kind of marketing and communication, users will know what to expect from a re-envisioned service model. In this presentation, librarians from two universities will discuss the philosophies, practices, and habits of mind for ourselves and our users that factor into redesigning library services.