1. International Best Practices of Service-Friendly Librarians: Fresh perceptions from a year-long comparative analysis of U.S. & Asian-Pacific Libraries John Hickok, M.L.I.S., M.A. Librarian / Instructor Coordinator of Library Instruction California State University, Fullerton, USA

2. Service-friendly Reference/Instruction: High client-librarian interaction, so a high need to be Service-friendly

3. Background Project: 1-year research grant on services in libraries of Asia Project: 1-year research grant on services in libraries of Asia

4. Challenges Limited resources Limited resources Clients not using your services enough Clients not using your services enough Not reaching all your potential clients Not reaching all your potential clients Librarian skills not being best use Librarian skills not being best use Traditions that become inflexible Traditions that become inflexible

5. Challenges 1. Limited Resources Example: Laos Library: limited items

6. Challenges 1. Limited Resources Example: Japan school library: limited hours/staffing

7. Challenges 1. Limited Resources Example: everywhere: limited database budgets

8. Challenges Indonesia: N. Sumatra Univ. Library

9. Challenges Philippines: supplementing (Pathfinder)

10. Challenges Thailand: consortium for eBooks.

11. Challenges 2. Clients not using Reference or Instruction services - Possibly the nature of standardized examinations (little indep. Research)

12. Challenges 2. Clients not using Reference or Instruction services - Possibly over-reliance of Internet

13. Challenges 2. Clients not using Reference or Instruction services -Possibly a negative stereotype or impression of librarians

14. Challenges Singapore: Market the Reference Desk!

15. Challenges Taiwan Public: Promoting Librarians over Google

16. Challenges U.S.: making librarians instructors

17. Challenges 3. Not reaching clients to help them become Information Literate

18. Challenges Japan: I only use the library for a Japan: I only use the library for a place to study place to study

19. Challenges 3. Not reaching clients to help them become Information Literate Korea: I use Naver, not the library Korea: I use Naver, not the library

20. Challenges 3. Not reaching clients to help them become Information Literate USA: I don t remember much from my freshman library orientation USA: I don t remember much from my freshman library orientation

21. Challenges Malaysia: required I.L. course for all first year students, taught by librarians.

22. Challenges Philippines: required 3 rd /4 th year student library research component

23. Challenges USA: roaming librarian project

24. Challenges 4. Librarian subject expertise not used or available

25. Challenges China: Reference librarians are often librarians are often put in back offices, put in back offices, unavailable unavailable

26. Challenges 4. Librarian subject expertise not used or available Vietnam: often librarians work low-level clerical positions

27. Challenges 4. Librarian subject expertise not used or available Thailand: LIS students exclusively LIS only; no other subject knowledge

28. Challenges Philippines: Pathfinders specialization

29. Challenges USA: Online library guides by major

30. Challenges Hong Kong: Librarians creative freedom for to create online tutorials

31. Challenges 5. When traditions become inflexible

32. Challenges Japan: mandatory staff rotations among library divisions

33. Challenges 5. When traditions become inflexible Everywhere: total silence total silence tradition still tradition stillprevalent

34. Challenges 5. When traditions become inflexible Thailand, China, etc.: outsider, non librarian Library Directors appointed

35. Challenges Vietnam: creative thinking – caf é within the library

36. Challenges Singapore: Lively, open, noisy Information Learning Commons area

37. Challenges Indonesia, Philippines: certain libraries more flexible Thesis allowance

38. Conclusion Other libraries share many of your common challenges … Look at their innovations, and apply their success to your own library!