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In the fall and winter columns I wrote about our year-long RUSA strategic planning process. In the fall I described the work of RUSA committees and task forces that have led to our current point in planning. In the winter I shared information about some of the initiatives that have been implemented as a result of the existing plan, specifically the work of the RUSA Leadership Development Task Force, and I offered suggestions to individuals interested in applying for new jobs in libraries. In this column I'm taking a wider view of some of the trends that are impacting reference and user services, in public libraries specifically, and looking at a few of the creative ways that public libraries are meeting the needs of their communities, sometimes in surprising ways, as they develop new initiatives. These programs and services are allowing communities to engage with the public library and its materials (electronic and physical) in the manner, and often at the time, that they desire. Why the focus on public libraries? First, it's what I know. My career has taken me from newbie book-shelver to circulation supervisor to library associate at Baltimore County (MD) Public Library (BCPL). That led to an MLS degree and coordination of Maryland AskUsNow!, a statewide virtual reference service provided by a partnership of academic, public, and special libraries. Five and a half years as the associate director of the Western Maryland Regional Library then followed. All of these experiences were physically located in public libraries, as is my current job as the senior administrator for public services at the Harford County (MD) Public Library (HCPL). Though my decade of work with RUSA colleagues has provided terrific insights into the work of people from outside of public libraries, I proudly admit that my public library experience has formed my service bias. BCPLs retired director Charles Robinson's "Give 'em what they want" philosophy is at the core of what I do. Second, I realize that we have more academic than public library representation among our RUSA membership, so my current role as president is somewhat atypical. I've learned many useful things from my academic library colleagues in RUSA, so I see my role as a way to "give back" to some extent and share insights from public libraries that might be adapted to service models in other types of libraries. I recently reviewed our RUSA Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians (www.ala.org/ rusa/resources/guidelines/professional), which a task force is revising right now. I'll admit that sometimes I feel our formal "Definition of Reference" is too limited for practical use in public libraries, but I appreciate how the competencies define and broaden the role of Reference and User Services librarians as a whole. These skilled individuals are "librarians that assist, advise, and instruct users in accessing all forms of recorded knowledge. The assistance, advice, and instruction include both direct and indirect service to patrons." From this perspective, it doesn't matter if we think of an activity as reference or a user service. I appreciate that flexibility, and it helps provide the broader context for the range of services that I see as relevant to this topic for public libraries. I'd like to focus on initiatives that I'm familiar with at my own library system and take a look at programs at other libraries that serve as excellent models for innovative engagement with communities in the areas of reference, information provision, and materials advisory. I'll touch on some of the trends, look at examples of how these trends are shaping service of all types, and consider some ideas for future initiatives. What are the relevant trends shaping new library services? Our Strategic Plan Coordinating Task Force has been reviewing a set of secondary research in order to best understand the environment in which libraries--and by extension our RUSA members--are working. …

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From the President of RUSA: Changing Needs, Changing Roles: How Public Libraries are Expanding Traditional Service Models to Best Serve Their Communities