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Information Desk Student Worker Guide

Operating Procedures for Information Desk Student Employees

Directions for Responding to and Recording Patron Questions

Student Assistants may provide answers to inquiries based on the two types of questions listed below. ALL other questions should be referred to a Librarian. If none is available, provide the individual with the appropriate Librarian trading card.

All questions will be coded for either number 1, number 2, or a referral.
Place an appropriate tic mark under the category for 1, 2, or referral to a Librarian. 

Please note that these do not include questions concerning circulation transactions and accounts, or questions referred to Information Desk staff.

 

1

 

•    Answers that require the least amount of effort; 
•    No specialized knowledge skills or expertise; 
•    No consultation of resources; 
•    Less than 5 minutes;

Examples 
•    Directional inquiries; i.e. Where is the restroom/library lab/stacks/Oliver Classroom?
•    Library or service hours; 
•    Service point locations; 
•    Rudimentary machine assistance (locating/using copiers, how to print or supplying paper). 
 

2


•    Answers given which require more effort; 
•    Require only minimal specific knowledge skills or expertise; 
•    Answers may need nominal resource consultation.

Examples 
•    Call number inquiries; 
•    Item location; 
•    Minor machine & computer equipment assistance; 
•    General library or policy information; 
•    More complex machine assistance (how to save to a disk or email records, launching programs or re-booting). 

 

*Modified from the READ Scale (Reference Effort Assessment Data) developed by Dr. Bella Gerlich

Subject Librarians

  • Tim Berge: Natural Sciences, English
  • Nancy Falciani-White: Health Professions
  • Laurie Preston: Social Sciences
  • Lynda Wright: Arts/Humanities
  • Lily Zhang: Instructional Design & Technology