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About the Service Plus Web Site
The Service Plus Information & Research Services Web site is designed primarily for the McKeldin Library Service Plus desk staff at the University of Maryland Libraries. (The Service Plus Information & Research Center is a combined information and reference desk manned by librarians, students and other staff. For more information, read Information & Research Services.)
In addition to reference service, the McKeldin Library information desk provides information about other Library services, branch libraries and the entire campus. The librarians, staff and student assistants must have fast, reliable access to this information. Formerly, desk staff have actively solicited this information from other service sites by making telephone calls, collecting written materials and preparing "home-made" guides to other resources. The information was stored in binders, I&R files, etc. It goes without saying that this effort demands constant maintenance to remain current.
Various staff work at the desk; four different departments contribute to the majority of the staff workforce. Each staff person has a different level of understanding of other departments in the Libraries and the campus. With such a varied staff and so many places to find information, training is challenging.
The Service Plus Web site offers many solutions.
- Desk staff will be able to more efficiently find information and provide service to patrons because there will be one place for all information rather than multiple binders, I&R, etc.
- Staff will no longer need to update paper handouts as Web sites are updated.
- Desk staff will be able to access the Web site to assist patrons while at a public terminal or in their offices, no longer tied to the physical binders and I&R.
