I think that sounds great Health Sciences Libraries @... and inform patron if your are Information, or what ever. As a matter of fact, I am on the desk right now and am already doing it until I hear otherwise.

I think for written communication (letterhead, business cards, etc), we could add a line:

name
Department
Taubman Medical Library [optional]
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan

Another option could be the following:
name
Department, Taubman Medical Library
Health Sciences Libraries
University of Michigan

In terms of spoken communication, it can be a bit cumbersome to have a lengthy introduction, and we don't want to have patrons tuning out at the outset. Also, if patrons are trying to reach particular locations (Public Health or Dentistry, for instance), having a greeting that is too broad could be confusing.

The suggested phrase sounds like a good one, but how would you incorporate the departments? "Health Sciences Libraries at Taubman [pause] Reference desk. How may I help you."

I'm interested in hearing other input.

~ Hollie

In regards to oral communications, I believe our patrons have an understanding of the overall relationship between the three physically separate libraries, and when they call an individual library, they have a specific need for that collection.

I would agree that the oral communication with an HSL preface may be a bit long. At PHLI, it would sound like:
Health Sciences Libraries at Public Health Library & Informatics; this is Jean, how may I help you?
I do not believe that this greeting is the most expeditious method of assisting the user.

Also, as a patron, when I call the Asia Library, I do not expect to hear: Asia Library inside the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library.
I think it would be overkill.

I like Hollie's suggestions for the written communications.
~Jean

I agree with Hollie and Jean. Phone greetings should be as concise as possible. I know that I hate calling people who have long, rambling greetings. Most times they rush through it and to my ears, it's just a jumbled mess and I am lucky to come away with the name of the person I am talking to.

I don't view a "Health Sciences Libraries" preface as being absolutely necessary when answering the phones. The idea is to give a short, warm greeting and then get straight to the issue.

And I like Hollie's second option for written communication.

I like short, snappy but informative greetings. I am still mulling about how to answer the phone. However, "Health Sciences Libraries--Taubman. Anna speaking" is actually shorter than the former "Taubman Medical Library Reference Desk--Anna speaking"--as long as I don't have to say "Reference Desk" any more. I can certainly see Hollie's and Jean's point about the individual needing one specific collection, so the greeting should not be too broad and/or confusing. Well, I guess that I will just mull further....

It seems to me that we are, as a staff, working our way toward a more unified library. We are all on board and moving ahead. But the name change issue, in terms of how the three deal with their patrons, would be an excellent opportunity for staff discussion. We need to come to an agreement on how to refer to ourselves in what settings. Do others think we need to discuss this face-to-face?