Winning all around, providing a help desk service point at the learning commons

Abstract

Historically, the Integrated Technology Services (ITS) Help Desk at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton campus, has been located in the Engineering and Computer Science building on campus. This was the group that initially required technology support, yet now requires our support services the least. About a year and a half ago University of New Brunswick's (UNB) largest library, focused primarily on the Arts and Business faculties, underwent a major renovation and reorganization when it created a Learning Commons and computer lab. The ITS Help Desk was one of several service providers for students invited to provide a service point in this collaborative learning space. The ITS Help Desk welcomed the opportunity to provide a more visible, accessible and convenient location to provide services to our student clients. The creation of a new service point offered challenges in remote supervision of student consultant staff, reallocation of resources (no new funding was provided) and interaction with Library staff. Opportunities to enhance our relationship with the library and improve our service to students were the rewards. The collaboration has been an outstanding success. Support of student owned laptops has quadrupled, library staff have been relieved of technical support questions for which they have no expertise, student consultants have an improved environment in which to work, library relations with ITS Help Desk staff is at an all time high and most importantly, our students are benefiting with better support allowing increased use of campus technology.