Access Services:: The Convergence of Reference and Technical Services

This book takes a close look at the recent changing emphasis from collections to access, and from document description to document delivery. As the automation of library processes has moved from technical services to reference services, the roles of the professionals working in those capacities have changed dramatically. Library administrators who are looking to redeploy resources will gain helpful insights from the experiences of librarians who have already redirected their organizations. This helpful volume will be of tremendous assistance in redefining the traditional roles of reference and technical librarians. Access Services offers new insights into the movement from bibliographic access to information access that is reshaping reference services today. Informative discussions on topics such as cross-training experiments, revised organizational structures, the new role of the bibliographic utilities, library school education for the redefined professional, and changes in cataloging codes reveal what impact this trend has for librarians, services, and patrons.