Back in Circulation Again 2024

In summer 2023, Ball State University Libraries unified the main-floor service desks in our main campus library, merging reference and circulation/reserves services to simplify the user experience. Following the pandemic and a wave of faculty retirements, the Libraries saw a growing need to strengthen relationships on campus through our librarian liaison program. Usage data revealed changes in students’ library behaviors, indicating that existing service models also needed to change. Our unified service model built capacity for librarians to advance our strategic priorities through the liaison program. As we merged physical spaces, Access Services and Research & Teaching Services staff worked side by side to learn from each other as we adapted our techniques for assisting library users. The change brought fresh perspectives and streamlined approaches to longstanding processes such as lost & found, returned books, and key access. Student staffing was also a critical consideration, and the unified desk brought about the need for an entirely new, unified student role. Student assistants from Reference and Circulation/Reserves were combined and cross-trained, enabling them to provide streamlined assistance at the newly created Library Information Desk. This session will share our experiences moving to a combined service desk and reflect on our process of change management. By involving key staff in the planning and implementation process, we achieved significant progress in a relatively short timeframe. Additionally, post-implementation task forces enabled frontline staff to continue to finesse changes, fostering an iterative and collaborative approach to changes and contributing to a greater sense of ownership among team members.