“Librarian's Anxiety”? How Community College Librarians Feel about Their Reference Desk Service

Abstract

A survey of community college librarians in California reveals that the nature of reference service required of them, limitations on budget, staffing, technical support, resources, decision-making ability, and professional development opportunities, affect their professional attitudes. Librarians see reference service as primarily a teaching role. They experience “librarian's anxiety” when their teaching effectiveness is eroded, and satisfaction when their role is fulfilled. Librarians want clarification of practical uses of Web 2.0 applications. Community college librarians need better ways to articulate their teaching role to their institutions at large. Survey findings indicate that a larger, formal study of the topic is merited.

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