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Roving reference , also called roaming reference , is a library service model in which, instead of being positioned at a static reference desk , a librarian moves throughout the library to locate patrons with questions or concerns and offer them help in finding or using library resources. ^[1]

History [ edit ]

Roving reference as a library service practice was first formalized in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 1999 report from the International Federation of Library Associations identified several advantages and disadvantages with roving reference in the pre- mobile era. The roving model allowed librarians to engage with "the majority of users who have questions in mind [who] do not approach the reference desk for assistance". ^[1] However, libraries reported that some staff were uncomfortable with the practice, and that there were concerns about user privacy. ^[1]

Beginning in the 2000s, librarians used laptops or laptop carts to engage in technology-supported roaming reference. Since the development of mobile technologies, roving reference can be facilitated with the use of such technologies, such as tablet computers , which allow librarians to readily check the online public access catalogue or the library's electronic databases while away from their desk. ^[2] This has contributed to the increased popularization of roving-reference programs as supplements for more traditional reference desks. The model has also been extended to service beyond the library building (library outreach), for example in a dormitory or faculty building at an academic institution. ^[3]

References [ edit ]