Reference Etiquette
Posted by: Rebecca Vnuk
There’s a very active discussion going on right now on LIBREF-L regarding proper etiquette for a reference librarian. To find it, go to the archives and search for etiquette as a subject. The discussion started with a question from a LIS student about whether a librarian should get out from behind the desk and take a patron to an item. From what she observed, most librarians just stay in their seats and point in the general direction. The answer might seem to be obvious but, according to most of the librarians who have responded, the etiquette is situational and depends on a variety of factors–the age and skills of the patron, the physical arrangement of the library, what transpires during the reference transaction, how busy the librarian is, etc. etc.
In one of the posts I learned about Ohio Reference Excellence on the Web, which, even if you’re not from Ohio, is a good training tool for new reference librarians and a good refresher for veterans. There are six self-paced modules covering the basics of reference service, with resource links, exercises, and quizzes.
