RE: Changing Usage of Public Libraries

[Kathleen DeLaney <kdelaney@acsu.buffalo.edu>]

Don is so right about this. Those of us who work  reference (or
have) in an academic library can attest to queries from the general
public. It doesn't matter if it a public institution or a private
one, patrons who find their way to the door (or phone) of an academic
library from the general public, may well have exhausted the limit
of their resources.

Too often patrons feel they have to tell the librarian that they
are NOT a member of the academic community before they can get
assistance. All too often I assure them that they needn't worry.
My stance is "You need help, my job is to assist you find what you
need." Library administration at one college where I worked provided
borrowers cards for neighborhood members. They regularly held forums
for the public, and those were well attended.Ours was the most
dominant building in the neighborhood, and it was new. The admissions
office used the opportunity for recruitment.

Academic libraries can break down the "walls of ivy."  The
environmental issues are often the catalyst.

There are some urban academic libraries that do a very good job of
letting their constituents know resources are available. Others
that can't get beyond the notion that "we're here for the students."
That narrow focus can come back to bite. Who pays the taxes for
the public academic library? Some days the tax payers questions
are far more difficult, but much more enticing than the 19 year
old student "looking for something for a paper."

The academic libraries still have a long way to go to make academic
users feel comfortable. Extending welcoming, patient assistance to
those unfamiliar with navigating the physical plant, let alone the
resources will much more effort than is directed now.