Table of Contents
Module 3 Answers and review - Reference Excellence
Module 3 answers
Suggested answers for Module 3 exercises - Discuss the questions and your answers with your supervisor, trainer or colleagues.
Approachability
1. Walk around the reference area of your library. How well does the area meet the following suggestions for approachability?
- Provide an appropriate setting
- Maintain privacy
- Eliminate physical barriers
- Reduce desk clutter
- Lower distracting noise levels
When you find problems, think about what you can do individually to overcome them, e.g., move to a less noisy spot when talking to a patron or standing in such a way that gives the patron a little privacy. You may want to talk with your supervisor or colleagues about some solutions.
Reference behaviours
1. Print the Reference actions checklist reference actions checklist ref-ex or access via a mobile device. 2. For one week, monitor your actions while working with patrons and work through the checklist.
- Which actions are already part of your work?
- Which actions do you need to incorporate into your interactions with patrons?
- Document the spoken questions or instructions used when working with the patron.
- You may wish to discuss your results with your supervisor or colleagues.
- It’s helpful to observe other staff members who are successfully working with patrons and learn from them. Make sure you ask if this is okay.
Barriers
- Identify possible barriers which make your reference area/service point less approachable?
- How do you access Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) at your library?
- Research what apps are available to assist people who are hard of hearing or deaf. This link has some options to explore Helpful apps for people with hearing loss .
Think of a shop or business you've recently visited that was new to you. How easy was it for you to find things and understand the arrangement of the facility? Your library's arrangement can be difficult to understand for anyone unfamiliar with it.
Age groups
1. Talk to staff in your library. Ask them what they do differently when working with children or older adults.
Listening is a critical behaviour when dealing with patrons of any age. Listen carefully to questions without making assumptions about a person's needs based solely on their age. There may be some key skills which other staff share with you. Think about how you would like to be treated and act accordingly.
Communicating with patrons who are not fluent in English
1. Locate statistics on the percentage of people in your community from a different culture, or CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) patrons.
Australian Bureau of Statistics publications are a good source for this, or perhaps your council website has a locally specific resource. Do other staff members have insights about working with people from different cultures?
Telephone and email
1. What is your library's policy/procedure for telephone reference, calling people back, priority of in-person versus phone patrons, or other telephone situations?
2. Does your library use email or social media for reference or information?
3. What are the social media guidelines? Are privacy and confidentiality covered in the guidelines?
Look at the policies or guidelines, observe what others do.
Difficult situations
1. What is the procedure in your library for answering questions during busy times?
2. Are you required to answer phone calls while on desk?
3. What is the procedure if you are unable to answer a question completely?
Look at reference and information services or circulation desk policies for your library. Ask and observe what your colleagues are doing.
Module 3 review
What have you learned?
Using reference actions
- Approachability
- Interest
- Listening
- Clarifying
- Verifying
- Searching
- Informing
- Follow-up
in reference work will help you improve reference services and make patrons comfortable during the reference interview.
It is important during the reference interview to encourage questions by being approachable and by using verbal and non-verbal welcoming behaviors. Web sites and library online services must also demonstrate approachability to encourage patrons to use the services.
Major Point: Being approachable encourages questions.
Body language and nonverbal communication
Use body language to show respect for patrons. Stop what you are doing and pay complete attention when listening to the question. For remote transactions, avoid long delays'.
Major Point: Expressing interest in the patron's question is an essential reference action when providing face-to-face or remote services.
Being professional and helpful can help patrons feel comfortable.
Finding information needs is more successful when all reference behaviors are used:
- Approachability
- Interest
- Listening
- Clarifying
- Verifying
- Searching
- Informing
- Follow-up
Major Point: Considered reference actions will improve the success of your reference work.
Cultural, physical, language, and other elements can create communication barriers that prevent patrons from indicating their information needs. Confusing library arrangement can prevent patrons from using the library or library services successfully.
Major Point: Cultural, physical, technological, or language barriers; misconceptions about libraries; and confusing library or web site designs can be barriers to successful reference service.
One way to overcome barriers is to walk with patrons to the shelves.
Major Point: Accompanying the patron in the library or using remote reference technology to guide patrons will help ensure they find what they are looking for.
It is especially important to use model reference behaviors for patrons with disabilities..
Major Point: We need to be sensitive to the needs of people with a disability in the library or when designing web sites and remote services.
Listening is a critical behavior when dealing with patrons of any age. Listen carefully to questions without making assumptions. All patrons should have equitable access to our services.
Major Point: Don't make assumptions about a person's needs based solely on age. Patrons of any age are entitled to equitable services.
Communicating with patrons who are not fluent in English
Be professional and helpful to all patrons when providing and equitable service
Major Point: Be professional and helpful to all patrons when providing an equitable service.
Be professional and helpful to all patrons when providing and equitable service
Major Point: For telephone and online reference, be professional and helpful.
Customer service is the primary responsibility of library staff in any situation. You can serve one person at a time effectively, and you should always fully serve the person in front of you. Follow your library policies should be your final guide.
Major Point: You can serve one person at a time effectively, and you should always fully serve the person next in the queue whether they are in person or on the phone.
Evaluation
What to do when you finish the module…
When you have completed the exercises for this module, you may want to talk to your supervisor, trainer or colleagues about them.
Please fill out and submit the evaluation form
Other modules for Reference Excellence
Reference Excellence - self paced reference and information services training
Module 1 Overview of the reference process
Module 2 Reference interview skills and question types
Module 3 People skills, reference behaviours
Module 6 Ethics and legislation