Comments on: Reference Question of the Week – 10/28/07

By: Brian Herzog

Brian Herzog — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:23:22 +0000

Although it sounds like a cop-out to me, this really does seem to need to be decided on a case-by-case basis (regardless of the library). I’m generally in favor of having policies and procedures to handle most situation, but also in giving library staff enough freedom to make intelligent decisions base on what a situation dictates.

Our flexibility is one thing that sets our service above that of general internet searching.

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:52:17 +0000

Yes, Buzzy, you are right, I should have specified in a public library. I think an academic library would be very different, and students would be expected to do their own research.

By: Lichen

Lichen — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:03:38 +0000

Yum, manwitches.

By: Buzzy

Buzzy — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:09:40 +0000

I agree with you here, too. I find I’m a LOT more lenient in what I’ll do for patrons in my public library job.

In my academic library job, though, things get a bit thornier. The line’s definitely different there, but at what point do you go from being helpful & empowering to enabling?

By: Robin

Robin — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:22:57 +0000

I agree with you man – user educations doesn’t have to be worked into every reference query.

Now I gotta get back to my user education assignment (sigh).