New Reference Consultation Service

Launched in Fall 2012, our “Schedule a Consultation” service allows Drake students, faculty and staff to schedule a half-hour, one-on-one consultation with a Cowles faculty librarian. “This is an extension of the Reference service that has bolstered the excellent academic environment at Drake for many years. Scheduled Reference consultations allow a student to schedule an appointment at her point of need, and helps to ensure that the professional librarian will be prepared to help with the specifics of the student’s assignments, ” said Bruce Gilbert, Director of Library Instruction. He also noted that “Studies have long shown that direct engagement with library services is positively correlated with academic success; this resource is another step in customizing those services for Drake students’ needs.”

Thirty sessions were held during the fall semester. Although many subject areas were covered in consultation, the service was most heavily used by FYS, Education and Pharmacy/Science students during this first semester.

Schedule a consultation can be easily accessed from the library’s web site, select the option for “Schedule a Reference Consultation” under Ask a Librarian.