Collaborative Reference: McQuade Library’s Research Center

Although reference has gone high-tech, students seeking high-touch reference assistance still travel to a destination -- whether it’s a reference desk, a librarian’s office, a reference room, or a center. Thus, libraries are challenged to design reference spaces in which librarians are visible to students and are well-positioned to partner with students to engage in active research, from quick “show and go” questions to more in-depth reference consultations. This poster discusses how and why McQuade Library at Merrimack College embraced a Research Center model that creates a positive reference user experience for students and places collaboration --both among librarians and with students-- at its core. McQuade\u27s Research Center facilitates a team of librarians successfully serving a variety of student learners in an appealing and comfortable environment. This poster describes how the Research Center is staffed, the types of research consultations happening within the center, and visually depicts the layout of the center. It also includes reference and usage statistics and student feedback proving that if you build it, students will come