for the
Delivery of Information Services
This manual is based on the University of Waterloo Library 2002 version of the Policies & Procedures Manual for the Provision of Reference Service. It has been updated to include virtual reference service. This manual is to be used for training library Information Service providers
Marian Davies
Judy McTaggart
On behalf of the Information Services Delivery Training Committee
June 2011
Contents
Introduction 5
Library Mission Statement 5
Information Service Philosophy 5
Purpose of the Information Service Guidelines and Procedures 5
Information Service 6
General Statement 6
Information Services Provided 6
Traditional Information Desk Service 7
Opening and Closing the Desk 7
Handling Patron Queries 8
Handling Multiple Queries 8
Tips for Managing Most Queries 9
Back-up Service 9
Referrals and Consultations 9
Information Services for Specific User Groups 10
Electronic Data Service (EDS) The EDS Group responds to requests regarding the use of data sets and statistics. 10
Extended Learners / Co-op Students on Work Term 10
Persons with Disabilities 11
Secondary School Students 11
Computer / Equipment Troubleshooting 11
Print Release Stations 11
Laptop Trouble Shooting 12
Photocopiers 12
Telephone 12
Food and Drink Guidelines 13
Performing Other Work at the Desk 13
Circulation of Reference Materials 13
Donations to the Library 13
Library Purchase Recommendations 14
Lost and Found 14
Reporting Problems 14
Medical Emergencies 14
Inappropriate Behaviour and User Conduct 15
Difficult and Abusive Patrons 15
General Complaints 16
Virtual Services 16
Chat 16
E-mail 17
Dealing with Problem Interactions 17
Patron just wants to chat 17
Patron makes you feel uncomfortable (flirting or sharing personal information) 17
Patron is rude 18
Patron is dissatisfied 18
Requesting Materials 19
Items not available within TriUniversity Group (TUG) Libraries 19
Recording Statistics 20
Orientation and Instructional Services 21
Library Tours 21
Subject Guides 21
Instructional Workshops 21
Information Desk Locations and Specializations 22
Appendix 23
Introduction
Library Mission Statement
The University of Waterloo Library contributes to the achievement of the University's goals by collaborating with other members of the University community in teaching, research, learning and service.
Information Service Philosophy
Information Service contributes to and supports the teaching, research, and learning of the University of Waterloo community. Service provision is based on a teaching philosophy with the goal of helping patrons become independent, critical thinkers and develop skills required for life-long learning. In providing this service, we are guided by the following principles:
ü respect for intellectual freedom
ü protection of user privacy
ü provision of information and resources that best meet the user’s need
Purpose of the Information Service Guidelines and Procedures
This manual provides guidance for Library staff responsible for the provision of Information Service.
These procedures have been developed to:
ü describe the nature and scope of all Information Services provided by the University of Waterloo Library
ü promote a uniform standard of service
ü serve as a training tool for new staff
Information Service
General Statement
Information Service can be described as the provision of services to help library users discover and use resources that are relevant to their information needs, whether this information is available inside or outside the Library.
Information Service is available to all students, faculty, and staff members of the University of Waterloo, and the broader community.
Quality information service is achieved through staff who are dedicated and committed to the library mission statement.
Staff members are:
ü approachable, courteous and responsive
ü knowledgeable about the resources and services
ü attentive and respond in a timely manner
Service provision is proactive and delivered by professional and paraprofessional library staff with various skills and specializations. Questions requiring in-depth assistance are referred to subject librarians. Departmental policy questions are referred to the appropriate ISR Department Head.
Guidelines for providing quality information service can be found on the Information Service Delivery Training Committee website on the Library staff web. All new staff members receive intensive training. In addition, ongoing training is provided to all information service staff to ensure the quality of service is maintained.
Information Services Provided
The Library offers both traditional and virtual information services. Traditional service can be described as interactions occurring at an Information Desk, either through face-to-face or telephone, as well as personal consultations with subject librarians and ISR Department Heads. Virtual reference includes both chat and e-mail service, each of which are overseen by a designated library group/committee. Specialized services are also offered to meet the needs of specific user groups.
Traditional Information Desk Service
Information Desk staff continues the tradition of providing service at an Information Desk. Assistance is provided to patrons who come into the library and to those who contact the library by telephone. Staff offer help with directional, simple, and more complex reference questions.
The Library user's information needs are determined by means of a reference interview. During this exchange, staff will determine the question being asked and to what depth and in what detail an answer is required. Complex questions requiring in-depth assistance are referred to subject librarians.
Staff will provide guidance in the use of appropriate resources to meet the user's needs. The principle of academic information literacy is to teach library skills rather than to do research for the library user. Therefore, questions are answered in such a way as to instruct the user in the use of research tools. Staff should always encourage the patron to return to the desk if the recommended search strategies do not yield the desired results.
ISR Information Desks are staffed by one staff member. Flexible desk scheduling models are used as a means of responding to the various levels of activity. For example, Davis ISR uses an on-call service during periods when desk activity is predictably lower; Porter ISR uses a back-up service to provide additional support during periods of increased activity.
Effective service delivery at the Information Desk requires staff to be proficient in responding to patron queries. Staff must have an expected level of knowledge of the Library’s resources and services. They must also have a basic level of technical expertise in order to assist patrons with accessing online resources, printing, and wireless access In addition, staff must also be familiar with the operational procedures of the service. The following section outlines the procedures and operations specific to the provision of service at the Information Desk.
Opening and Closing the Desk
· Logon to computer(s) with specified password
· Check telephone messages at the beginning of the first shift of the day
· Report staff absences using established departmental protocols
· Logoff computer(s) at closing to enable overnight system updates – do not shut the computer down
· If a question requiring lengthy research is asked shortly before closing time, the patron may be requested to return the next day for assistance. Contact information for the appropriate subject librarian should also be provided
Handling Patron Queries
Questions are handled in the order received
If interacting with a patron face-to-face and the telephone rings, the patron at the desk always takes priority over the telephone. The patron on the telephone will be asked to leave a message on the voice recording. It is the responsibility of the staff member on desk duty to respond to the message and complete the transaction as soon as possible
When required, staff will consult with colleagues and refer the user to other library units, or sources of information outside the library
Consultations should not be conducted at the Information Desk. Questions/research assistance requiring a considerable amount of time should be treated as a referral and conducted at an alternative workstation or in the librarian’s office
Financial, legal, or medical advice is not provided due to the risk of misinterpretation. Interpretation of information contained in library sources is beyond the scope of Information Service
Handling Multiple Queries
The Information Desk is typically staffed by one person. There are times during service hours when desk activity increases and more than one person will be in line waiting for assistance. Having two or more people waiting for assistance is not necessarily an indicator that additional help is needed or that service is being compromised. When this occurs, the staff member needs to assess and manage the situation.
Tips for Managing Most Queries
· Make eye contact with the person waiting and try to indicate that you will help them shortly, e.g. “I’ll be with you in a moment”
· Ask if anyone has a simple or quick question, for it may be possible to answer these immediately
· Estimate the length of time required to complete the transaction in which you are currently engaged and evaluate the situation accordingly
Back-up Service
There may be times when the staff member determines that additional support is needed in order to provide effective service.
Porter ISR schedules a back-up service during the busiest hours of the Fall and Winter terms. The back-up service provides additional desk support when needed. Determining when to call for back-up is a judgement call made on your assessment of the situation.
Referrals and Consultations
Information Service provision relies on the ability to refer patrons to subject librarians and other specialized services when more in-depth assistance is required. ISR Department Heads are also available for referrals and consultations. These questions range from policy type questions to questions where there is no obvious one person or group to handle a referral.
Subject Librarians
Subject librarians are available for consultation for more detailed, subject specific questions. Always refer the user to the appropriate librarian when you are unsure of the resources to meet the user’s needs or when you have helped the user to the best of your ability and further assistance is needed.
Librarians have an open door policy and are usually available on-demand – barring any commitments. Referrals can be made by:
· Telephone: phone the librarian/colleague to see if he/she is available for immediate assistance
· Business cards: if the librarian is not available, provide the user with the librarian’s business card and ask the user to set up an appointment
· LibQuest: use the referral option in LibQuest
Librarians also schedule consultations other than those referred from the Information Desk. They assist and work with faculty to ensure that both faculty and student information needs are met. In doing so, Librarians offer individual and group consultations related to their subject area. Consultations are usually by appointment and held in the Librarian’s office. Some librarians also have scheduled office hours within their respective Departments where they are available for consultation on a drop-in basis.
Information Services for Specific User Groups
A number of services are available to meet the needs of specific user groups. Patrons may be referred to these services for consultation and assistance. Complete details and contact information can be found under the “Services” section on the Library’s website.
Electronic Data Service (EDS)
The EDS Group responds to requests regarding the use of data sets and statistics.
· The EDS group helps patrons find data and provides assistance with data retrieval
· Provides information about the content or documentation for data sets
· Statistical analysis is not provided
Extended Learners / Co-op Students on Work Term
The Library Liaison for Extended Learning students provides core reference and research assistance. Complex questions requiring in-depth assistance are referred to subject librarians.
· The liaison helps patrons find appropriate resources for their research needs
· Provides instruction on the use of library resources
· Co-ordinates requests with library staff in the TUG Book and Article Retrieval Services and Circulation Services as required
· Similar services are also provided to co-op students on a work term
Persons with Disabilities
The Library Co-ordinator for Persons with Disabilities provides reference and research assistance and oversees the Adaptive Technology Centre in the Porter Library.
· The co-ordinator also acts as liaison to the Office of Persons with Disabilities (OPD)
· The liaison helps patrons find appropriate resources for their research needs, including resources in alternate format
· Provides instruction on the use of library resources
Secondary School Students
The Library Liaison for Secondary Schools provides consultation services for teachers and teacher-librarians.
· The liaison also co-ordinates on-site class visits
Computer / Equipment Troubleshooting
Desk staff should attempt to perform basic troubleshooting prior to reporting the specific problem.
Public Workstations
· Functional problems with the public workstations are reported to technical support staff
· If technical support is not available and the problem persists after re-booting the workstation, place an “out of order” sign on the machine and notify the Systems Department Help Desk. Provide the terminal number of the machine when reporting the problem
Print Release Stations
· If the print release station is malfunctioning, refer to the technical support staff member. If technical support is not available, contact the Systems Department Help Desk
· If the machine is out of paper, notify Circulation Services.
· For poor quality print jobs or jobs that do not print, refer patron to Circulation Services
Laptop Trouble Shooting
· For Internet connectivity problems, refer to the technical support staff member; otherwise, refer to the Computing Help and Information Place (CHIP) Help Desk
· For laptop printing problems, refer to the technical support staff member; otherwise, suggest the patron use a library workstation
Photocopiers
The Library does not own the photocopiers. Media Services owns the copiers and is responsible for all maintenance and repairs. Staff from Media Services make routine equipment checks at scheduled times during the day.
· For minor problems, e.g. paper jams, call the technical support staff member who may be able to fix the problem. If the problem cannot be resolved, technical support staff will report it to Media Services and put an “Out of Order” sign on the machine