barth.p65 A Constituency-based Support Model for Delivering Information Services 47 47 A Constituency-based Support Model for Delivering Information Services Christopher D. Barth and Janet R. Cottrell Christopher D. Barth is a Librarian and Technology Consultant in Library and Information Services at Kenyon College; e-mail: barth@kenyon.edu. Janet R. Cottrell is Director of Information Access in Library and Information Services at Kenyon College; e-mail: cottrellj@kenyon.edu. An information services organization based on individual constituent groups, instead of defined physical collections and technologies, en- courages a broader, more effective, and innovative use of varying infor- mation and technology services for academic libraries. Such a model also provides more focused and clearly defined positions and proce- dures to ensure high-quality support to all constituents. hom do librarians serve? Whom should they serve? The standard answer is the pa- trons, be they taxpayers, tu- ition-payers, or fellow employees. Yet, the management structures of most aca- demic libraries usually choose a differ- ent constituency to base their structure on: their resource materials. In this or- ganizational model, staff are organized around books, audiovisual materials, technology resources, and so on, rather than around the users of these materi- als. Such structures reinforce a compart- mentalized view of information re- sources and technology among our patrons, and although the patrons re- ceive service through these channels, the focus of the organization remains inward on its own collections. A constituency-based support model integrated within the organizational structure of the library allows profession- als to better understand and develop skills to serve their patrons, and facili- tates the comprehensive nature of tech- nology within library services. This sup- port model encourages consistent refer- ence support for all information sources, from books to microforms to electronic data warehouses to computer hardware, from one individual or service desk. This results in a demystification of the range of information services and information delivery mechanisms for both patrons and librarians and promotes the devel- opment of skills to better harness the forces of technology within library ser- vices. However, implementation of this model requires some understanding of the differences between traditional infor- mation technology (IT) support and li- brary services support, as well as the ways in which models for these indi- vidual support roles have developed. Support Models for Computing and Library Services The challenges of providing effective IT support have been well defined. Michael J. Yohe identified strategies useful in con- trolling expectations, reducing work, 48 College & Research Libraries January 2002 and promoting self-sufficiency. He also emphasized collaboration, redistribution of responsibility, and increased commu- nication as effective approaches.1 Polley A. McClure, John W. Smith, and Tobey D. Sitko further described the processes by which centralized computing support organizations are overwhelmed by de- mand and noted that central IT organi- zations can become scapegoats because they present a big, easy target.2 McClure and her coauthors proposed a support mechanism focused on customer needs; in particular, they advocated educating campus constituencies and engaging us- ers in decisions that affect them. Several articles in the literature de- scribe alternative computer support models. Richard M. Kesner described a series of service delivery models devel- oped at Babson College, including a help desk and dispatch support, Technology Specialists Residential Technology Asso- ciates programs, as well as dedicated ser- vice/support assignments.3 Andrea Nixon and Paula Lackie described Carleton College’s discipline-focused computing support structure, in which technical support staff focus on support- ing the IT-related pedagogical needs of the faculty in their division.4 On a larger scale, Mark Donovan and Scott Macklin described a scaleable, client-centered support model for supporting technol- ogy in teaching at the University of Washington.5 Sue Ellen Breedon, Ellen Ramsey, Susan Evans, Gene Roche, and Michele Valliere described two different models: one at the University of Virginia, where individual departments hire, fund, and supervise technical staff ; and the other at the College of William and Mary, where a central IT unit funds liai- sons who reside in the departments they serve.6 Academic libraries frequently employ a liaison model, so their models tend to be more familiar. These models are typi- cally faculty oriented; library liaisons support specific faculty in their library research needs, work with faculty to de- velop discipline-based collections, and provide bibliographic instruction for stu- dents. As an example, Zheng Ye (Lan) Yang provided a useful list of liaison ac- tivities, along with a model for assess- ing faculty perceptions of a liaison pro- gram.7 For a slightly different slant, Karen E. Greever, a technical services li- brarian at Kenyon College, described the benefits of taking on public services, par- ticularly reference, in addition to her be- hind-the-scenes duties.8 This type of cross-focus began to build bridges with constituents, notably faculty, to better serve the user by bringing a more holis- tic approach to service through focusing on the patrons rather than the collections. Merged library and computing ser- vice organizations vary greatly in their structure and focus. In many cases, the support mechanisms for library services and for computing services are in effect separate mechanisms; in a few cases, more integrated service organizations re- sult. Arnold Hirshon supplied organiza- tional charts for several schools in his 1998 planning guide.9 More recently, Larry Hardesty described theoretical and historical approaches to merged library and computing organizations, along with case studies. Both of these sources illustrate other possible models.10 Of particular note is Chris Ferguson’s article advocating a unified service model that integrates reference and in- formation services with technology sup- port.11 In addition to reviewing the reengineering necessary to achieve such a model, Ferguson pointed to three ex- isting, and quite different, models (Cali- fornia Lutheran University, The Univer- sity of Southern California, and UCLA) that provide integrated services. He also noted that the variety of working mod- els reflects the variety of institutions seeking change; different schools will find different solutions. Kenyon’s Constituency Model A little mor e than three years ago, Kenyon College implemented a merged library and computing services structure. To addr ess the growing need for A Constituency-based Support Model for Delivering Information Services 49 campuswide information services sup- port, Kenyon developed a unique con- stituency-based support model. In this model, students, faculty, and administra- tors are viewed as separate constituen- cies, with specific support strategies for each. Although information support for stu- dents, faculty, and administrators often overlaps, primary support for each group is assumed by a specific group of staff that provides both library and com- puting support for that constituency. The director of each department also assumes a special role—that of advocate for the department’s constituency within the service organization. This advocacy role does not require the director to assert his or her constituency’s demands over those of the others, merely to ensure that they are understood and represented, then met insofar as possible. Support for the Faculty Constituency To meet the specialized needs of faculty, Kenyon has developed a unique job cat- egory— the library and technology con- sultant, or LTC. The LTCs provide both library and computing support to faculty in specific, assigned academic depart- ments, but their support cuts across the spectrum of information resources and technology needs. LTCs work closely with faculty to perform collection devel- opment, teach effective use of software and the library, and promote innovative applications of information literacy in the liberal arts setting. An LTC at Kenyon may be found: • participating in reference and tech- nology consulting services; • aiding in the identification, imple- mentation, and use of both traditional and electronic information resources; • participating in the academic de- partment liaison program as a subject specialist and a technology specialist; • providing personalized support for faculty using computers, software, and instructional technology; • participating in various instruction programs, including basic library usage skills, advanced library research and electronic search skills, software appli- cations, and instructional technologies; • providing frontline technical hard- ware and software support for computer equipment in the academic division; • designing and implementing new technology-based facilities along with faculty to support new initiatives in the curriculum. The breadth of this support model en- sures that each LTC has the opportunity to understand departmental pedagogi- cal, research, and technology goals, as well as to form personal connections and long-term multifunctional relationships with faculty. Such relationships allow for and encourage more complex and inno- vative discussions on the integration of library and technology services within the pedagogy of individual faculty, as one liaison colleague provides combined library and technology services. The many and varied responsibilities of the support relationship typify the liberal arts experience— and reflect the organization’s response to meeting di- verse needs with limited resources. Individual LTCs develop particular areas of expertise regarding both library and technology services, and the model relies on networking among liaisons to provide specialized consulting services across the division. This allows the de- velopment of specialists within the gen- eralist support model. Support for the Administrative Constitu- ency Kenyon’s administrative computing sup- port also is tailored to meet the require- ments of the administrative constituency. Information analysts support specific ad- ministrative divisions. Thus, in addition Within each administrative division, a computer records supervisor position has responsibility for the operation of the system processes and maintains the integrity of the data for the division. 50 College & Research Libraries January 2002 to technical skills, the analysts must un- derstand the unique operational require- ments of their division in order to pro- vide appropriate support. Within each administrative division, a computer records supervisor position has respon- sibility for the operation of the system processes and maintains the integrity of the data for the division. This position also serves as the first line of support for other personnel in the division. In addi- tion, it serves as liaison to the adminis- trative computing staff. This partnership provides system support to each admin- istrative office. This support is crucial because Kenyon is migrating all admin- istrative systems from a text-based host system platform to client/server work- station platforms using relational data- base tools and Web products. Effective partnerships between the information analysts and the computer records super- visors have been a key success factor in this migration. Not surprisingly, administrative units at Kenyon request little in the way of li- brary support. In the traditional sense, their needs bear little resemblance to those of the faculty, except perhaps in terms of Web design and organization. However, the professional skills of librarians in ar- eas of information organization and de- livery are important to the effective dis- semination of information through these administrative systems, and Kenyon is in- tegrating some of these skills brought by information professionals into adminis- trative systems. In addition, Kenyon is in the process of developing an innovative new program to support institutional in- formation by combining the expertise of archivists, librarians, and digital media specialists with traditional computing support in order to retain, preserve, or- ganize, and provide access to the wide range of institutional records generated at any college or university. The technical expertise of Kenyon’s professional infor- mation services staff makes this type of cross-cooperation and integration particu- larly appropriate and successful in its implementation. Support for the Student Constituency To meet the needs of students, primary responsibility for all major service areas of core library and technology functions resides within one department. Thus, tra- ditional library departments focusing on access to collections, such as the library reference desk, audiovisual department, circulation, and interlibrary loan are teamed with public-use campus comput- ing labs, the technology HelpLine, and computing areas within the library/tech- nology center and managed in one de- partment. Residential computing services are comanaged along with Kenyon’s core infrastructure support team. Student gov- ernment representatives meet regularly with the director of this group to exchange ideas. Both formal and informal student input is taken seriously; such input is partly responsible for new group study and quiet areas, the installation of net- work connections for laptop use, and the implementation of a pilot wireless net- working project within the library facil- ity. In addition to traditional paraprofes- sional support staff, Kenyon also in- volves the aforementioned LTCs as im- portant links in providing student sup- port. All LTCs currently hold profes- sional library science degrees and work regular reference shifts. Because they also bring advanced technology skills to their work, they are able to answer a wide variety of questions ranging from tradi- tional research queries to sophisticated technological problems. This ability to respond to the full spectrum of informa- tion problem-solving issues is vital be- cause workstations throughout Kenyon’s library facility, including the reference area, contain a full load of productivity software in addition to library research tools. Students working on course projects in the library’s reference area generate multifaceted and difficult ref- erence and technical support questions, and can receive support through the eas- ily identifiable reference librarian. Pro- viding this full spectrum of support for all steps in creating a project, from find- A Constituency-based Support Model for Delivering Information Services 51 ing appropriate information sources to producing a final product, is an impor- tant aspect of student support. For technology questions from outside the vicinity or scope of the reference desk, the traditional computer HelpLine is avail- able. This frontline student-staffed support area providing phone, e-mail, and walk- in technology support for all students, fac- ulty, and staff is managed by an LTC. Hav- ing an LTC in charge of this service is a deliberate decision in order to infuse the theoretical information management skills of a professional librarian into a traditional IT support desk to better understand and serve users. This has resulted in better and more accessible documentation for both end users and other support staff. An ex- tension of this library information technol- ogy intersection is a proposal to implement traditional HelpLine problem-tracking software at the library reference desk. By tracking certain kinds of questions and problems (without breaching the confiden- tiality of the reference environment), staff hope to better address repeated or ongo- ing questions. A final, and less tangible, benefit of an integrated support environment for stu- dents is the opportunity for students themselves to receive a high level of cross-training in both traditional library research methods and troubleshooting difficult technical problems. The integra- tion of library and information technol- ogy services becomes more seamless for students, whether they use the library regularly for academic study or work as an LTC assistant or a HelpLine employee. These skills will only serve to benefit stu- dents as they prepare for employment in an increasingly technologically depen- dent world. Conclusion Each constituency in an academic library brings different and often competing needs to the table. Given finite resources, many colleges and universities face in- creasing difficulty in balancing those needs. Yet, making sure that needs are met is an essential purpose—and often a prerequisite for survival—of an effective information technology services organi- zation. Academic libraries enjoy the luxury of having a clearly defined patron base: dis- tinct constituencies of students, faculty, and administrators. The experience at Kenyon indicates that an information services support division charged with supporting these different groups can most effectively meet that challenge by installing an organizational structure that matches its constituents. By revers- ing a focus on serving collections and turning toward information as a holistic tool spanning formats and defined col- lections, patron services are enhanced and the library can encourage the use and synthesis of information in new ways for its patrons. Notes 1. J. Michael Yohe, “Information Technology Support Services: Crisis or Opportunity?” CAUSE/EFFECT 19 (fall 1996): 6–13. 2. Polley A. McClure, John W. Smith, and Toby D. Sitko, The Crisis in Information Technol- ogy Support: Has Our Current Model Reached Its Limit? CAUSE Professional Paper #16 (Boulder, Colo.: CAUSE, 1997). 3. Richard M. Kesner, “Developing an Information Technology Support Model for Higher Education,” CAUSE/EFFECT 20 (summer 1997): 24–30. 4. Andrea Nixon and Paula Lackie, “Discipline-focused Technology Support Fosters Cur- riculum Innovation,” CAUSE/EFFECT 22 (fall 1999): 33–36. 5. Mark Donovan and Scott Macklin, “One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Designing Scaleable, Cli- ent-centered Support for Technology in Teaching” (paper presented at CAUSE98: The Net- worked Academy, Seattle, Wash., Dec. 8–11, 1998). Available online from . 6. Sue Ellen Breeden, Ellen Ramsey, Susan Evans, Gene Roche, and Michele Valliere, “One Size Does Not Fit All: Models for Support and Training Partnerships in Virginia” (paper pre- 52 College & Research Libraries January 2002 sented at Educause 2000, Nashville, Tenn., Oct 10–13, 2000). Available online from http:// www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EDU0002.pdf. 7. Zheng Ye (Lan) Yang, “University Faculty’s Perception of a Library Liaison Program: A Case Study,” Journal of Academic Librarianship 26 (Mar. 2000): 124–28. 8. Karen E. Greever, “Building Bridges: Moving from the Back Room to the Front Line,” Catholic Library World 70 (Sept. 1999): 23–26. 9. Arnold Hirshon, Integrating Computing and Library Services: An Administrative Planning and Implementation Guide for Information Resources, CAUSE Professional Paper Series, #18 (Boul- der, Colo.: CAUSE, 1998). 10. Larry Hardesty, Ed., Books, Bytes, and Bridges: Libraries and Computer Centers in Academic Institutions (Chicago and London: ALA, 2000). 11. Chris Ferguson, “‘Shaking the Conceptual Foundations,’ Too: Integrating Research and Technology Support for the Next Generation of Information Service,” College & Research Librar- ies 61 (July 2000): 300–11.