A librarian is coming.
Information Literacy Librarian Hilary Westgate said the library is offering a roving reference service to students in need of some extra assistance.
The service is new, but Westgate said the concept is not.
“Actually a lot of academic libraries, a lot of colleges and universities are trying this now. So it’s not really a new idea in general, but it’s new here,” said Westgate.
The on-the-go service will offer help with library, writing and research questions such as how to recognize scholarly articles and where to find them, how to use databases and how to properly format and cite research papers.
“It’s basically just meeting students where they are doing their work. We still have services at the reference desk, but we also wanted to branch out and go to other buildings,” said Westgate.
Westgate plans to make rounds at Insalaco Hall, Banks Student Life Center, the Writing Center, the Student Success Center and Passan Hall, targeting high-traffic zones during the most populated hours.
“I try to work the roving reference in at a time where people would actually be in that area, so especially if it’s the cafe area in Insalaco, then I’ll try to go around lunch,” said Westgate.
Westgate said she will offer at least one roving reference librarian session per week and will rotate locations on a weekly basis.
Students need to be aware of the roving reference service to guarantee the helpful program stays intact, according to Wesgate.
She plans frequent EMU announcements, which will detail her roving reference times and locations, and provide updates on the Library Club’s FaceBook page.
Head of Reference and Information Literacy David Marks said word-of-mouth combined with Westgate’s physical campus presence will help students become more aware of the library’s roving service.
Marks said support of campus departments, including the Writing Center, will also ensure the program’s success.
For more information about the roving librarian service contact Hilary Westgate at [email protected].