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Reference Policy
Index
- Statement of Library's Mission
- Mission of Reference Department
- Purpose of Reference Guidelines
- Reference Staff
- Library Users
- General Guidelines for Desk Service
- Specific Desk Service Guidelines
- Specific Question Guidelines
- Online Searching
- Loan of Reference Materials
- Orientation/Tours
- Bibliographic Services
- Outreach
- Electronic Equipment
Mission of the Morton Grove Public Library
The Morton Grove Public Library's Mission Statement guides the selection of materials as it does the development of services and the allocation of resources.
The Morton Grove Public Library will provide a place offering materials, programs, and services to assist the community in its pursuit of personal growth and lifelong learning.
Approved by the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, June 12, 2008.
II. Mission of Reference Department
It is the mission of the Reference Department to effectively meet these needs by bringing the library's resources and potential users together through a variety of services. Reference service will be provided at all times that the library is open. The Reference Desk will be staffed at all times by professionally trained individuals who will provide quality service.
Statement of Objectives
- To provide personal assistance without discrimination to library users seeking information.
- To select, acquire, and organize sources of information to meet the needs of library users.
- To identify and promote the information needs of potential users in the community.
- To cooperate with other community agencies and organizations in their efforts to serve the community.
- To ensure that library users receive a consistent level of service.
- To present programs and tours in the library and in the community on reference services, library use and reference sources.
III. Purpose of Reference Guidelines
- To describe the services and resources that are offered by the Reference Department which is comprised of the Reference Services staff.
- To set standards and guidelines that ensure continuity in service.
- To provide guidance for those working at the Reference Services and Youth Services Desks and for those being trained.
IV. Reference Staff
Reference staff members, whether professional or para-professional, serve as the link between resources and the patron. As such, it is important that the staff member be:
- Knowledgeable about library materials and services
- Open and approachable; friendly but professional
- Able to communicate effectively with people
- Discreet in the handling of questions which might be confidential or sensitive
- Able to exercise good judgment both in the interpretation of policy and in the handling of exceptional situations
New staff members will receive orientation to the department, to the Library as a whole, and the North Suburban Library System. On-going training is necessary in order to provide the highest level of service. Participation in library activities, ranging from formal classroom instruction to informal groups sharing professional ideas, is encouraged, as is membership and participation in the Illinois Library Association and the American Library Association.
V. Library Users
Library users are all people seeking information whether in person, by telephone, by FAX, by mail, or by electronic mail. Reference service is available to all persons served by the library without discrimination. The needs of each library user are taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect.
VI. General Guidelines for Desk Service
- Priorities
Service to the public receives priority over any other duties. Library users should be made aware that the primary purpose of a reference librarian is to assist them.
In-person requests for service receive priority over telephone requests. All reference questions are treated confidentially.
If it becomes necessary to leave the desk for any length of time, another staff member should be informed and suitable arrangements made.
Although the Library's primary responsibility is to patrons within Morton Grove, there should be no discrimination against other patrons for basic reference service.
- Recording Statistics and Questions
Accurate statistics regarding service to patrons should be recorded. The method used to gather statistics is based on Output Measures for Public Libraries, 2nd ed. Staff is urged to note the subject matter of questions of a difficult nature and indicate areas where more materials are needed.
- Reporting Problems
If a staff member has a problem in dealing with a patron, the name and telephone number of the patron should be taken and given to the supervisor who will take appropriate action.
- Incomplete Reference Transactions
Although every effort is made to complete questions immediately, some can remain at the end of a shift or day. Unfinished questions will be turned over to incoming staff if the patron is in immediate need of the requested information. The patron will be given an agreed-upon time frame in which the reference question will be answered. Staff members are encouraged to consult with colleagues if they need assistance with a puzzling or difficult question.
- Referrals to the North Suburban Library System Services
If a reference question cannot be answered in-house, it may be referred to the appropriate System Service. The North Suburban Library System provides access to services (reference and continuing education) outside of an individual library's collection in order to provide a larger pool of resources. These resources are available through NSLS and Night Owl Reference Service. Access to materials beyond the Library's own collection (books, periodicals, and audiovisual materials) are provided through the Library's Interlibrary Loan services.
- Referrals to Other Agencies
Referrals to other agencies may be made when appropriate. Patrons should be advised that they may contact the library for further assistance if they are not successful in obtaining help from the agency. At no time may staff refer the patron to individual practitioners--physicians, attorneys, mental health professionals, etc.
- Referrals to Other Libraries
If the staff member feels that it is appropriate to refer the patron to another library, it is required that the staff member verify that the material needed is actually there. If it is necessary to refer a patron to a corporate, university, or other special library, the staff member should make prior arrangements with the other library before sending a patron to that library.
- Sources
To give the most accurate and authoritative answers possible, staff members should avoid personal opinions, philosophy, or evaluations; rather they should rely upon information based on accurate printed or online sources or learned from a reliable authority. The opinion of staff members, even when requested, should not be given as fact. The source of an answer should always be cited.
- Instruction and Orientation Services
Instruction and orientation services in library use are an integral part of library service and may range from basic instruction on how to use the computer catalog or reference tools to more formal assistance such as tours or classes designed to increase the patron's knowledge of the library's materials and services.
- Time Limits
No two reference questions are alike; therefore, no specific time limits can be placed on an actual question. The amount of time devoted to a question is at the discretion of the reference staff member.
VII. Specific Desk Service Guidelines
A reference transaction is defined as an information contact which involves the knowledge, use, recommendation, interpretation, or instruction in the use of one or more information sources by a member of the library staff. It includes direct and instructional services. Direct service provides the patron with the information requested, while instructional service is designed to teach the patron independent use of library resources. Reference service, whether direct or instructional, provides accurate and prompt information to the public.
- In-Person Reference
- Basic Assistance - Reference staff members should assist patrons at every level of the Reference transaction, if the patron so desires. This may require accompanying the patron to the computer catalog to explain its use, or physically locating the materials for the patron. In the event that the staff member is unable to accompany the patron to the stacks area, it is important to remind the patron to report back to the Reference Services Desk if the material cannot be located.
- Priority - If several people are waiting for assistance, requests that are either brief or that involve patron participation with staff guidance may be given priority over lengthy or complex questions that require large amounts of time. If a patron has a time-consuming request which is delaying service to other patrons, the staff member should offer to complete the question at a later time.
It may be necessary to work with several people at once- getting each started and then returning to make sure that they are finding their information. Additional staff should be summoned if necessary.
- Telephone Reference
Telephone reference should be used for short, factual information questions which do not require extensive reading or interpretation on the part of staff members. If the answer to a telephone question seems too involved to relate easily over the telephone, this should be explained to the patron and the suggestion made that the patron come to the Library.
Staff will answer the telephone with a department name, such as Reference Services or Children's. If callers must wait, they should be given the option to remain on hold or to have their calls returned. If the patron prefers to be called back, the staff member should take the patron's phone number and call the patron back as soon as possible. For calls from out-of-state, the callers should be asked to call back at a prearranged time.
When a staff member must transfer a call to another department, the caller should be told where the call is being transferred and why. When a reference staff member transfers a call to another department, the staff member should briefly convey to the other department the patron's question and what sources have been checked. When receiving a transfer call, however, always consult with the patron directly in order to fully understand the question being asked.
- FAX, Mail, Electronic Mail Requests
It is the Library's practice to respond to all reasonable reference inquiries received by mail, FAX, or electronic mail. Fax, mail, and electronic mail requests are defined as short, factual informational questions which do not require extensive reading or interpretation on the part of staff members. If the question becomes too involved or time-consuming, the staff member should explain the limitations on such service and suggest that the patron visit the Library for further assistance.
The patron may request that the response to the question be made by fax, mail, electronic mail, or telephone. The nature of the question may determine the form of response. Any area outside the Chicago metropolitan area will be considered long distance, and the Library will respond to long distance fax or telephone requests through the mail.
In the event that a photocopy is requested by out-of-area patrons, the Library will provide no more than 10 (ten) photocopied pages to a patron at no charge to the patron. Standard copyright guidelines/notice will be attached to any pages faxed to a patron. Additional copying for out-of-area patrons must be done on a cost recovery basis, with prepayment required.
VIII. Specific Question Guidelines
- School Assignments
Questions regarding school assignments will be treated as any other request for reference assistance. For definitions of types of reference queries see this section, generally.
Every effort should be made to satisfactorily answer a student's questions and provide the sources for information and the instruction needed to use those sources. If every effort has been made by the reference staff member and the student to locate information without results, the student will be encouraged to return to the teacher for further instructions or an altered assignment. A note to this effect may be given to the student if the reference staff member feels it is justified.
- Contest Questions
Contest questions will be guided by the same definitions and time limits as any other type of reference question. However, some contest questions are tricky and might have more than one answer which seems to be correct. The staff should not interpret contest rules.
- Consumer Evaluations
The staff should help patrons locate objective consumer product information by showing them how to consult the indexes to Consumer Reports and related magazines, buying guides, and/or general indexes which may lead to product evaluations in other periodicals. Short published consumer ratings will be read over the telephone; however, in depth consumer information must be read at the library. The staff does not offer personal opinions recommending one product over another.
- Book, Antique and Art Appraisals
Patrons may be referred to appropriate reference sources or to consultants or experts. Staff members should never give a personal appraisal regarding the value of a patron's possession.
- Genealogical Questions
Staff members should provide general assistance in genealogical research, guidance in locating items in the collection, and help in obtaining resources through Interlibrary loan. Staff members should not engage in actual genealogical research for patrons.
- Translations
Translations should be provided only if a person on the staff with appropriate expertise is available. Otherwise, staff should contact System Reference Service or other appropriate resources to obtain information regarding translators.
- Compilations and Extensive Research
Requests for and/or completion of lengthy research is not considered a traditional role of the public reference librarian. Research and reference differ in terms of time required, sources employed, and ease of determination of search strategies; research is the more involved of the two. Patrons needing extensive compilations (bibliographies, lists, statistics, etc.) or research should be directed to the appropriate resources and offered as much assistance as staff time allows.
- Medical, Legal and Tax Questions
The library does not provide advice in the areas of medicine, law, and taxes. If legal information can be found in printed sources, it is provided. However, complicated legal searches should not be undertaken nor should personal interpretations of legal matters be offered. Concerning medical information, brief definitions and descriptions from authoritative published sources may be provided. These sources should be quoted verbatim with no personal interpretation. The patron should be informed of the source from which the information is taken. Under no circumstances should a staff member offer advice in medical, legal or tax areas, regardless of how commonplace the knowledge seems to be. If more information is required, the patron should be encouraged to examine the library's collection or be referred to another source.
- Mathematical Calculations
Mathematical calculations should be provided only if a person on the staff with appropriate expertise is available. Otherwise patrons should be referred to sources containing the formulas or tables necessary for them to complete their calculations.
- Criss-Cross and City Directories
Criss-Cross and city directory inquiries will be answered either by telephone or in person. No more than three listings will be provided per patron at any one time. Staff members will not give "nearby" listings for Criss-Cross requests.
IX. Online Searching
- When all in-house print and online resources fail to answer the patron's reference needs, the Reference Librarian can, at his/her discretion, fill out an online reference request to the North Suburban Library System's Night Owl Reference Service.
X. Loan of Reference Materials
- Reference books (following reference policy guidelines and at the discretion of the reference librarian on duty) may be checked out overnight. The item will be due before the Library closes on the date and at the time indicated on the Reference Check-Out Form. Items with circulating copies (even if they are earlier editions) will be excluded from this policy, since copies are available to library patrons. Reference books may be taken out between 8:15 PM and 8:45 PM, with corresponding allowances for weekend times.
- Librarian must verify that the patron has a valid library card in his/her possession and is registered in SIRSI. Also, verify that the patron has no outstanding fines or bills on his/her record. (If necessary, the circulation department can check for you.)
- Give the book to the patron to check out at the Circulation Desk with Part 1 of "Reference Check-Out Form" paper-clipped to the inside of the book. Tape Part 2 of the form to the reference desk. If a YS reference item is checked out with approval of the Reference Librarian-in-charge, put a copy of Part 2 in the Head of Youth Services' mailbox.
- The Reference Check-Out Form taped to the reference desk alerts the librarian to the fact that the book is expected back at the reference desk by closing time on the following day. If the book is returned on time then sign Part 2 and give to patron. Part 1 may be discarded. Take the book to the Circulation Desk to discharge and resensitize. If the material is a Youth Services item, notify the Head of Youth Services that the item has been returned. Finally, return the book to the reference shelf.
- If the book is returned late, follow the steps as outlined above. In addition, accompany the patron to the Circulation Desk to see that the fine is paid. For current fine rates, see "Reference Check-Out Form".
- If the book is not back at opening the day following the due date, try and contact the patron. If contact cannot be made, or if the book is not returned by closing time on the second day, notify the Head of Circulation Services so that a note can be placed on the patron's record.
Some reference items may never be circulated. Examples include:
- Ready-Reference Materials
- Book or Periodical Indexes
- Expensive Materials ($200+)
- Frequently Used Materials
- Multi-Volume Sets
- Leased Items
XI. Orientation/Tours
Library orientation tours, bibliographic instruction, and online demonstrations are offered by the Reference Department to all adult groups and to student groups of junior high school age and above.
XII. Bibliographic Services
It is the responsibility of the Reference Department to prepare printed in-house bibliographies and/or bibliographic guides for subject areas of time-proven or current interest which would assist patrons with their informational needs as well as promote library materials.
XIII. Outreach
Talks to community groups are presented by professional staff on sources and services of the library.
XIV. Electronic Equipment
Electronic equipment such as, but not limited to, personal computers, cellular telephones, calculators/adding machines, personal headphone stereos, will be permitted in the library to the extent that they do not interrupt the study/research of other library patrons. Cellular telephones must be used in non-service areas of the Library. If space permits, it is recommended that personal computers be used at the Reference Room study carrel in front of the south window. The reference staff member on duty is to use his/her discretion for laptop use in other locations, taking into consideration patron safety and power cords in traffic patterns.
Approved by the Morton Grove Public Library Board of Trustees, January 10, 1991; revised January 1998; October 2000.
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