Linda Fritz, Head of the Library’s Research Services, says after April 30 the Government Publications reference desk will be amalgamated with the Library’s main Reference Desk on the first floor.

Fritz says as of May 2 the Government Publications service point will be gone and its staff will be amalgamated with that of the Library’s Reference Desk.

“More and more government materials are available online,” Fritz says. “We’ve now reached the point were the budget speech, for example, is accessible as soon as it has been delivered. People can read and print it from any computer with web access.”

Fritz notes that in the past, Library staff would have received the speech a day after it had been delivered. They would have quickly included it in the catalogue and then put it in the Government Publications area so those needing to read it could do so. “The role of staff in the area was to catalogue and retrieve the materials users needed quickly.”

The good news is that with the Government Publications workload changing and with the staff shifting to the Reference Desk, this will mean an upgrading of the service available.

Until now, “staff was available to catalogue and retrieve only during the day and for four hours on Saturday,” Fritz said. “Any user coming in the evening or most of the weekend was on his or her own.” Now with the amalgamated Government Publications and Reference Desk staff, “we are in a position to provide professional and knowledgeable service on evenings and weekends as well as during the week. Former Government Publications staff members Ingrid Welsh, Laurie Bird, Michael Swaan and Mary Tastad will continue to provide in-depth reference service for those who need it,l” Fritz says.

She adds the print government publications will not disappear. Older materials will remain where they are now on the Library’s second floor. New print items will be integrated into the Library collection, with complete catalogue records and call numbers.

The change will also mean more room for the Data Library Services staff. “The number of data users at the University has been growing, as has the number of code books they need. Data Library Services will occupy the space vacated by the Government Publications staff.” That change will occur on May 25.

For more information, contact communications.office@usask.ca

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