A 1999 report from the International Federation of Library Associations identified several advantages and disadvantages with roving reference in the pre- mobile era.
The roving model allowed librarians to engage with "the majority of users who have questions in mind [who] do not approach the reference desk for assistance".
[1] However, libraries reported that some staff were uncomfortable with the practice, and that there were concerns about user privacy.
Since the development of mobile technologies, roving reference can be facilitated with the use of such technologies, such as tablet computers, which allow librarians to readily check the online public access catalogue or the library's electronic databases while away from their desk.
[2] This has contributed to the increased popularization of roving-reference programs as supplements for more traditional reference desks.