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-**Specific behaviors and actions improve reference service success**
-Reference behaviors — a checklist
-Part of [[Module 3 People skills, reference behaviours ref-ex]]
-In addition to approachability, working with the checklist of reference behaviours, making patrons comfortable, and using successful reference interview skills will ensure peak effectiveness when working with a reference patron.  Consistently followed, these powerful techniques can have a much greater impact on the success of reference than the size of the collection or the number of years of experience and education of the staff.
-Reference Behaviors Checklist
-    Approachability
-        Smile
-        Make eye contact
-        Give a friendly greeting
-        Make natural eye contact
-    Comfort
-        Speak in a relaxed tone
-        Go with the patron
-    Interest
-        Maintain eye contact
-        Make attentive comments
-        Give patron full attention
-    Listening
-        Do not interrupt
-        Paraphrase
-        Clarify
-    Inquiring
-        Ask open-ended questions
-        Verify
-    Searching
-        Try to find the answer
-        Search other sources
-        Keep patrons informed
-        Offer referrals
-    Informing
-        Speak clearly
-        Check if the answer is understood
-        Cite sources
-    Follow-up
-        Ask “does this completely answer your question?”
-        Ask other follow-up questions
-    Additional Virtual Reference — Specific Behaviors
-        Be friendly
-        Include an explanation of your search process or strategy in your response
-        Send non-scripted information in small pieces to help communication and reduce delay time
-        Try to let the patron know what you are doing approximately every minute, which ensures the patron does not feel abandoned
-        If you must be away from the transaction, send something for the patron to review or read until you return
-        Try to strike a balance between speed and professionalism when adapting to the patron’s comfort level with the software
-        Use correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization
-        Fully cite all sources quoted or used in responses
-        Type like you talk — conversationally
-        Use the patron’s name if they have provided it.
-        Avoid yes/no responses. These can be interpreted as cold and unfriendly.
-        Clarify confusing terminology and avoid excessive jargon.
-Exercise
-    Print the Model Reference Behaviors Checklist if you haven’t already done so.
-    For a period of one week, monitor your behavior while working with patrons. Work through the Model Behaviors Checklist.
-    Which behaviors are already part of your routine?
-    Which behaviors do you need to incorporate into your interactions with patrons?
-    Record the spoken questions or instructions used when working with the patron.
-    Discuss your results with your supervisor.
-It’s helpful to observe other staff members who are successfully working with patrons and learn from them.
-Note this, like some other parts of
-[[Reference excellence - self paced reference and information services training]]  has been adapted from work from Ohio.  You can [[http://oreonline.olc.org/modules/module-3-communicating-patrons/module-3-model-behaviors/|see their list here]].
-[[About ref-ex]]
-[[Module 1 Overview of the reference process ref-ex]]
-[[Module 2 Reference interview skills and question types ref-ex]]
-[[Module 3 People skills, reference behaviours ref-ex]]
-[[Module 4 Search strategies ref-ex]]
-[[Module 5 Reference resources ref-ex]]
-[[Module 6 Ethics and legislation ref-ex]]
-[[Module 7 Roving reference ref-ex]]
-[[Module 8 Local studies ref-ex]]
-[[Module 9 Family history ref-ex]]
-[[Module 10 Children ref-ex]]
-[[Module 11 Young Adults ref-ex]]
-[[Module 12 Corporate Library Services ref-ex]]
-[[Module 13 Technology reference services ref-ex]]