The Bothell Herald Reports a private-sector sales concept is improving service at public libraries in Lynnwood and Mukilteo, Washington.
On busy afternoons, a librarian walks around and is available to anyone who needs help, as opposed to having staff stationed at reference desks.
Mukilteo has seen an increase of up to 25 percent in the number of reference questions in recent months, staff members said, which they attribute at least in part to the roving librarian program. Librarians began working the floor in Mukilteo in October and in Lynnwood in November.
Survival
This story is similar to the one on the San Luis Obispo libraries where Brian Reynolds said:
“We’re trying to reinvent ourselves, he ventures, so we can be more available to people — where they are and when they need us. Staffers who were formerly stamping books will be wandering the floors helping people on the spot, because if we’re seen as inconvenient, if we don’t provide service, you won’t come back.”
Although it’s probably true that someone has to be at the desk…it’s important to get out from behind the desk and interact with library users and offer assistance … direct active service to customers is what will help libraries survive!
Unshelved’s take on this
The comic Unshelved covered this new movement some time ago. Dewey the librarian was not pleased to be doing it until he realized that he wasn’t being asked questions when he was out in the shelves. People were still coming up to the desk.
Sorry, I couldn’t see any way to pull up the correct strips on the site but the main URL is
http://www.overduemedia.com/