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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Greg, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">When setting up BTC’s Library, we followed RTC’s example of interfiling our Reference collection within the open stacks. We also interfile DVDs. Less and less of our collection is designated as Reference, usually
only because of the price of the material. If it is something that many students need to use, we make it a 2 hour, in-library use only or overnight reserve, sometimes just for the quarter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Also, at the discretion of the staff person, we allow most reference materials to be checked out overnight or for three days. We also provide up to 5 pages of free photocopying from reference books. Most students
just take pictures of the pages they need, but our photocopier also scans and emails for free. Students were not using the reference materials because it cost them money to use. Expensive items, i.e. a $500 DVD, are always behind the desk in the reserve collection.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Accreditation did not seem to even notice that we had no reference collection. For individual program accreditation--Nursing, Culinary, Dental, Diesel, Vet Tech--they were only interested in the depth and currentness
of the materials related to the individual programs. We have not gone through an accreditation for our new BAS programs. I will be interested in what the other colleges’ experiences are. We dropped Credo because of low usage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Jane<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Jane Blume<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Library| Media Services<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Bellingham Technical College<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:jblume@btc.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">jblume@btc.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">360.752.8472 – desk<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">360.752.8383 – front desk<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces@lists.ctc.edu> <b>
On Behalf Of </b>Bem, Greg<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 31, 2018 1:38 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WACTC Library Directors <librarydir@lists.ctc.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [LIBRARYDIR] Debating the Physical Reference Collection<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hello all,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The LWTech librarians are currently debating the role of the physical reference collection, which sees almost zero use (observed and/or tracked), and has not expanded or shrunk significantly in years. Sacrilegious traditional librarianship
sentiments aside, we are actually wondering if it’s worth having this collection in its own physical section (having a “reference” section at all that is) and what we might be able to do with the physical space should that area become transformed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have debated continuing to have a reference class of materials and integrating them (physically) into the general collection stacks, for example. We do have Credo and see significant use of our digital reference resources. One emotional
constraint we’ve found is that a lot of the books we have in that section are financially valuable and/or rare, so we hesitate moving them or surplusing them, even though they are doing little but collecting dust and mild nods of affirmation from the library
team.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In any case, I’d love to hear from you about your own physical reference situations. Do you currently have a reference collection? Do you see it getting used? If it’s not getting used, how do you justify its existence? If you don’t justify
its existence, why do you still have it? Are there accreditation or policy requirements that include continuing a physical reference collection?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for your considerations!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Greg<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#0070C0">Greg Bem, MLIS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#0070C0">Faculty Library Coordinator<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#0070C0">Pronouns: <i>
he/him/his<u><o:p></o:p></u></i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">Contact Info<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:greg.bem@lwtech.edu%0d"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:blue">greg.bem@lwtech.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">425-739-8100 xt.8898<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.lwtech.edu/campus-life/library"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:blue">http://www.lwtech.edu/campus-life/library</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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