Many academic libraries have an “Ask Us” (or similar) web page on their
website which describes user options for obtaining reference services
(in person, telephone, email, text, chat/instant message, appointments,
and more). 

This CARL Research Grant-funded project explored four related research questions: 

1. How do academic libraries in California describe and display their reference service options on their websites? 
2.
How do students interpret the description and organization of reference
service options commonly found on academic library websites?
3. What process do students use to select a mode of reference service?
4. What does a student’s ideal “Ask Us” web page look like?

This
presentation will share the data collected from analyzing the “Ask Us”
web pages from over 100 academic libraries in California, along with the
prominent themes and a ha” moments from student interviews examining
the description and organization for reference services on library
websites. 

Session attendees can use the lessons learned from
this research project to determine how they might incorporate student
perspectives into the description and presentation of reference services
at their library.