Transaction Analysis of Interactions at the Reference Desk of a Small Academic Library

Abstract

As discussions continue about the changing nature of reference service in academic libraries, the Geoffrey R. Weller Library determined that more detailed information on what was happening at the Reference Desk was needed. During the 2006/07 academic year, transactions at the Reference Desk were analyzed to determine when they occurred (both during the week and during the academic year), the length of time the transactions took, the categories of the transactions, what sources were used and whether or not instruction was provided as part of the transaction. Another round of data was gathered in September 2009 to determine if use patterns had changed. Transactions at the Reference Desk were generally conducted in person, took either

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