These are mockups of possible tools- if you have interest in it, ask the author to make it into a script.

• Fixed nav box by froth^t
  • This removes the otherrd and giveback boxes, and "fixes" the desk navigation to the window, so when you scroll, the nav box doesn't move onscreen. It covers up quite a bit of text if you're trying to read the desk so I gave up on this one. No Internet Explorer support, sorry, it's pretty weird code. I'd have nice icons showing Firefox/IE/Opera, but you know, a blue 16x16 lowercase e is microsoft's property, and a tiny fox hugging a blue dot, explicitly released for all noncommercial use, is not "sufficiently free" for the mediawiki foundation's conscience. >.>
• Fast links by froth^t (implemented)
  • This leaves the header as it is, and adds a quick-and-dirty link box to the left, centered in the portlets column. Reads "CSMHLEM", each letter linking to its reference desk.

These are javascript tools that have been implemented- they're not just mockups. To use them, add the given code to Special:Mypage/monobook.js. These should be interoperable- you can use any combination or all of them if you want.

Fast links by froth^t (mockup available)

• This leaves the header as it is, and adds a quick-and-dirty link box to the left, centered in the portlets column. Reads "CSMHLEM", each letter linking to its reference desk.
• Code:

document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' 
            + 'http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Froth/refdeskmod.js' 
            + '&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript&dontcountme=s"></script>');

Classic nav box by froth^t (screenshot available)

• Since most of the time you're at the bottom of a ref desk, you may want trans-desk navigation down there. This adds the "classic" style horizontal nav bar to the bottom of the reference desk. AFAIK this is only possible with a user script; that's why it's here.
• Code:

document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="' 
            + 'http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Froth/refdeskmodv2.js' 
            + '&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript&dontcountme=s"></script>');