Access Services Interest Group

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  • 1.  Department name & composition

    Posted Apr 14, 2025 01:12 PM

    I'm working to organize our front desk teams at our two main libraries, our branch Music Library, and our access and library delivery teams together into a single department led by a Director. The group does not want to be called "Public Services." The main trend I've seen is "Access Services" but wanted to ask if there are other iterations of department names you all may use.

    For context, the forming department will NOT include facilities operations team, ILL, or course reserves.

    I welcome any wisdom or insight you have to offer! 



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    Carolyn Schubert
    Associate Dean of Academic Engagement
    James Madison University
    She/Her/Hers
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  • 2.  RE: Department name & composition

    Posted Apr 14, 2025 01:57 PM

    A year ago, I ran my downsized access service department (previously we were all public services and very large) through some exercises and votes that led them to choose their own name. We used the "Framework for Access Services Librarianship: An Initiative Sponsored by the Association of College and Research Libraries' Access Services Interest Group" as our guiding document. The members of the department also did their own research into departmental names across the nation, then brought those names and their own ideas for names to a department meeting. We discussed the merits and demerits of all the options, then had a vote (online, anonymous). We actually ended up having three votes, because the unanimous first choice for a new department name was rejected by our library dean (I'm not going to tell you what that was.) Through these discussions and voting sessions department members were able to express their opinions AND also see what ended up floating up to the top and that their colleagues preferred (normalization). This co-creative process was useful in moving the team collaboratively to the next level of their work. Their final choice was approved by our library dean. We've used this new name for about one year now: Access, Information, and User Services Department.

     

    *Kris Johnson

     

    P.S. I'm the department head, but did not vote.

     

    ____________________________________________

    Kris Johnson (she/her/hers) 

    Department Head for the Access, Information, and User Services Department

    Montana State University Library

    P.O. Box 173320

    Bozeman, MT, 59717-3320

    �� (406) 994-7708

    ✉ krisjohnson@montana.edu

     

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/askkrisjohnson/

    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6973-5799

    Consistency | Ideation | Arranger | Command | Significance (current CliftonStrengths, taken 2020)

    Adaptability | Significance | Intellection | Deliberative | Relator (former CliftonStrengths, taken 2015)

     




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