Turf Wars

I cannot understand this bizarre tension between access services staff and the librarians, or more specifically the reference librarians. Sure there may be some sort of established hierarchy, that is everywhere. Yet I cannot understand this aggressiveness. I have a bottom line. If I or any of my staff can assist a patron asap then so be it.

I do not see how good customer service can be this:

Patron: "Hi. I'm looking up information on topic X. I need some help determining which database to use. Can you help me?"

Access service staff: "Sure, one moment. I'll call the librarian to help you." Meanwhile you and the patron stare at each other while you wait for a librarian to come and help.

Why can't it be like this?:
Access service staff: "Sure I can help you with that. To get started what you want to do is..... If need any additional help let me know and we can arrange for a reference librarian to assist you."
You see patrons really don't know nor care whom at the desk has the MLS or not. They want help and need it, I doubt that they want to debate the issue of stars upon thars. Service is gold. Waiting is not something people prefer, particularly if a reasonably capable person is in front of them. This may be more apparent at those libraries where the operation of "one-desk" is used. Those of you with one desk for circulation and another for reference may not experience this sort of issue. Or at least on the magnitude I have.

Geesh. This is stressing me out.