The Need for Instant Access in Libraries

I have a hard time remembering the days before I could look up anything I was curious about on the internet. While I was certainly alive before the internet was widely used, and I remember the days of dial-up fondly (mostly), I quickly adapted to the ability to get answers “instantly.” I have learned to vet sources and double-check citations, but I still frequently search for a quick result.

The rise of AI has only exacerbated that desire for instantaneous results. Except now, I see myself expecting quick outputs in addition to quick answers. I don’t believe I am alone in this. We all want information fast. We lead busy lives, often with many responsibilities, and slowing down to do the deep work of thinking is hard—it was hard even before current technology, but that was the only option.

Those we serve in libraries are no different. Our patrons and users are often under tight deadlines and need information to make decisions quickly. They often have many responsibilities competing for their time, and they need resources to complete their work as soon as possible.

As librarians, we must balance convenience with accuracy, licensing restrictions, and quality control. It is never fun to explain to our stakeholders that it may take more than a few minutes to get a resource through interlibrary loan; however, that is the reality at times.

Balancing Speed with Quality for Your Users

I have been thinking a lot about how we balance the imperative for quick information and instantly available resources with the real constraints of the time it takes for proper research and access.

Here are my suggestions:

• Be clear about the time it will take to obtain resources and any limits on accessing content. Include that information in places where users visit.
• Be transparent about the why. Why are there limits on access? Why can’t something be obtained instantaneously?
• Consider having a roadmap for longer research projects. When a request takes time, give the user a visual or clear tracking expectation. People tolerate delays much better when they understand where their request sits in the pipeline.

Protecting Staff from Instant-Access Burnout

Stakeholders’ needs for instantaneous results can also impact library staff. Therefore, it is important to consider how to avoid burnout from working too fast and taking on too many requests.

Here are my suggestions:

• To the extent possible, establish baseline expectations for how long a request will take. Include the staff in this decision. Then, communicate that clearly. This directly relates to being clear about the time it will take to obtain resources.
• Decouple deep research from requests that take less time. When staffing, rotate schedules so reference staff aren’t expected to handle deep research tasks while simultaneously staffing a live chat desk or physical reference counter.
• Protect deep work time for staff. Block dedicated, uninterrupted time on team calendars for complex work, including collection development and cataloging, to reduce cognitive fatigue from constant task-switching.

Overall, I encourage you to be open with staff and stakeholders about the time it takes to complete quality work. Help everyone understand how we can achieve balance (to the extent possible) between the rise of tools that provide instantaneous answers and the need for expert judgment that often accompanies deep thinking.