Making It Work for Everyone: An Evolving Reference Service.

At an academic health science center, librarians identified problems, weaknesses, and strengths in reference services. The on-call reference schedule was discontinued and a question flowchart was developed for circulation staff. Only research questions were referred to librarians, who would respond if available. Circulation staff perceived the unscheduled, voluntary model was not working well for the patrons or the staff. After two months, the schedule was reinstated with a hybrid version of the previous on-call format. In the process of changing the service model, the library staff also underwent a cultural change.

Making lemonade from lemons: a case study on loss of space at the Dolph Briscoe, Jr. Library, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

The setting for this case study is the Dolph Briscoe, Jr. Library, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a health sciences campus with medical, dental, nursing, health professions, and graduate schools. During 2008-2009, major renovations to the library building were completed including office space for a faculty development department, multipurpose classrooms, a 24/7 study area, study rooms, library staff office space, and an information commons. The impetus for changes to the library building was the decreasing need to house collections in an increasingly electronic environment, the need for office space for other departments, and growth of the student body. About 40% of the library building was remodeled or repurposed, with a loss of approximately 25% of the library's original space. Campus administration proposed changes to the library building, and librarians worked with administration, architects, and construction managers to seek renovation solutions that meshed with the library's educational mission.