Imagine there's no desk

Abstract

Imagine walking into an academic library and finding no service desk and no queues. There are friendly staff who greet you and ask you if you need assistance. You are then directed to a self-service check out, a workstation or to a consultation room. This is the new reality at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Library. This paper outlines the planning, design features and service model of UNSW Library’s Help Zone, including the imaginative use of space, details on changes to staffing work and structure and responses from customers and library staff who work in the Help Zone.