In my section, Area Programs, we don't have a reference desk or area but we do have a reading room and people can find us in our offices or can make appointments. We also help people by e-mail and phone calls. The University of Cincinnati has that model because the director mandated it. We have the reverse Brandeis model. We have students at the desk with us and we say go help with the OPAC, etc.
Reference librarians do a good job at the first line.
For students, it's not their profession or main interest. But these are faculty answers and not what we do. When we talk about it, the instruction business, I feel it's not the best use of our time. It's an old debate in the literature. We see the same students with the same questions.