Staff at the Charles Library One Stop Assistance Desk serve as an essential gateway to library resources, services and spaces – for users entering the building, as well as connecting patrons to library services by telephone. While many users visit the space without ever interacting with desk staff, those that do expect a positive and seamless experience. As the service conduit, any referral, or “handoff”, must be efficient, effective and appropriate to the needs of the user, whether that is payment for a 3-D print, help with a laptop kiosk, or a complex reference question.
In March 2022 we convened a team to look at this service “eco-system”, from the perspectives of both users and staff. The team included members from three core departments providing service through the desk: Access Services, Library Research Services, and Technology Support. This group gathered and reviewed data on transaction activity as well as user and desk staff experiences, identified core service values and barriers to implementing those values.
The project plan included a transaction data review and collection component to:
Develop better understanding of what is going on at the One Stop desk using currently available data as well as data collected to complete a picture of the service environment more holistically. These data may also provide examples of what is working well and what is troublesome, serving as the basis for discussion and collaborative problem-solving.
While this was useful, it only took us so far. For instance, much of the “referral” activity is not reflected systematically in the LibInsight tool. The tool designed for student transaction tracking focuses on their training needs more than user experience specifically. To supplement this data, Emily and Jackie designed user comment cards. Although gratifying to hear nice feedback, users seemed more likely to comment on positive experiences than unhappy ones.
Lively meeting discussions among the team and with managers were more fruitful in identifying areas for improvement. Simple tweaks will contribute to better information flow between departments, like consolidation and re-naming of SLACK channels, and regular check-in of student supervisors at the OSAD. Cross-training of ITS and Access Services students who work the desk is recommended, as well as more regular meetings for information sharing between the Scholars Studio, OSAD, Student Success, ITS, LRS, Facilities and SCRC. An attractive flyer to describe the many modes of reference service available will be helpful to get patrons where they need to go with least resistance.
An important goal for this project was to build trust and strengthen relationships between the departments in the service of users. Collaborative brainstorming and problem-solving together to resolve barriers – these are essential to accomplish that goal. And while not explicit as a planned outcome, the process also provided an opportunity for staff to develop and practice leadership and project management in new ways. The resulting changes and approach to continuous improvement contributes to the positioning of the One Stop Assistance Desk as THE hub for information flow across the spaces and services at the Charles.
Thanks to the two teams contributing to this effort:
Service Improvement Working Group Membership: Emily Schiller (Lead), Joel Cammarota, Fred Rowland, Jackie Sipes, Cody Smallwood, Nancy Turner
Management Consultive Group Membership: Justin Hill (Lead), Steven Bell, Olivia Given Castello, Cynthia Schwarz, Nancy Turner