Reference Services Interest Group - Meeting Notes February 15, 2007
Present:
Steve Albert, Kenton County Public Library; Janet Arno, Campbell County Public Library; Laura Barnette, Lane Public Library; Ashlee Buback, Kenton County Public Library; Nicole Eby, Dayton Metro Library; David C. Fox, Adams County Public Library; Leslie Hamann, Northern Kentucky University; Ann Harding, Campbell County Public Library; Nancy Horlacher, Dayton Metro Library; Rebecca Mulberry, Boone County Public Library; Mary Sue Peters, Lane Public Library; Shaun Powell, Boone County Public Library; Stephanie Smith, Northern Kentucky University; Debbie Tenofsky, University of Cincinnati; Shawna Woodard, Dayton Metro Library.
Reference Manual Discussion
- Table of Contents
- What does the library offer? Databases, printed materials? What questions can or can't we answer? Basics of reference interview? How far should you go in answering questions?
- What is appropriate when answering questions?
- Email vs. phone vs. in person vs. chat
- Are there time limits?
- Who on staff is an expert at what?
- Who selects in what areas?
- Internal procedures
- Policies and procedures
- Opening and closing procedures
- Brief description of ready reference items
- Why do we use these resources?
- Pathfinders
- ILL procedures
- Circulation procedures
- Frequency asked questions and answers to them
- Form for referrals or follow-up questions
- Put questions/answers in database
- Responsibility of staff
- Computers
- Microforms
- Photocopies
- Publicity
- Physical environment
- Gifts
- Patron complaints
- Emergency procedures
Tiered reference
- Difference levels of services
- Staff who are there when no professional librarians
- NKU:
- 1st tier are students—general questions
- 2nd tier is paraprofessional—simple questions
- 3rd tier is librarian—consultation/complex questions
Certificate program with reference questions/sources
Orientation check list
- Questions that staff can practice
- Library lore
Blog/Blackboard to discuss issues
- For example, where to get training on a resource
- Some only for staf
- Market this to the public
- Business cards with general information
- Takes lots of time
Manual allows:
- staff to review procedures/resources
- do the same procedures inhouse and across branches
- marketing among staff
- staff training to answer questions
- gets policies/procedures in writing, so everyone knows everything
Manual Discussion
- Go to new staff for input and new ideas. Have new employees create the manual.
- Sample policies/orientation/procedures, for example ORE (Ohio Reference Excellence)
- Built out of a need
- Covington manual is on their intranet
- Manual for local vs. system wide
- Checklist for duties, especially for new employees
- Create list of staff expertise, but use fine line not to overburden staff
Next topics:
- How does reference interaction change when the patron is on the phone/in person/chat/email?
- FAQs or referrals or answer box/tribal knowledge box
- Lists of local people who do geneology
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