Library Training Self-Guided Tutorial

Information Desk Worker

Scenario A

• Imagine that you are working at the desk and an extremely angry patron begins to yell loudly at you, stating that she could not register for classes because she had a library fine which she swears she already paid. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario A

• Option 1: Re-direct the student to the circulation desk, as that is where students can pay fines.

• Option 2: Tell the student to wait and contact your supervisor.

• Option 3: Leave the desk and try to find someone who can help the angry student.

Correct Answers for Scenario A

• Option 1, re-direct to circulation, is an “ok” solution, though not optimal. Circulation is where fines are paid, but you should alert a supervisor to an excessively angry patron.

• Option 2 is best. For volatile situations, you will want to notify a supervisor, not just pass the problem along to another student worker at the circulation desk.

• Option 3 is not a good solution. With angry patrons, you need to immediately alert your supervisor, not leave your job to find someone who may or may not be able to help. Additionally, leaving the patron alone could make her more upset.

Scenario B

• A student approaches you extremely upset claiming that his laptop was stolen from a study room while he was in the rest room. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario B

• Option 1: Help the patron look for his laptop and question individuals in the area around his study room to see if they saw anything.

• Option 2: Tell the student that there is “Lost and Found” at the circulation desk, and perhaps someone brought the laptop there.

• Option 3: Contact your supervisor and inform the patron that someone will assist him shortly.

Correct Answer for Scenario B

• While checking “Lost and Found” is a good idea, you should first contact your supervisor, as this patron was very upset when he came to you. Your supervisor will be better equipped to help him report a theft than you are, and can offer the precise help that he needs and will also be able to control the situation should the patron become angry.

Scenario C

• A student comes to you because he needs access to the online databases but cannot remember his login information. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario C

• Option 1: Attempt to help the student retrieve his login information, as the student may not know that his login username and password are the same as those for his blackboard account.

• Option 2: Send him to the IT help desk, and / or give him the phone number for the IT helpline.

• Option 3: Ask your supervisor to look up the patron’s information, since only library administrators can access that information.

Correct Answers for Scenario C• Option 1 is the best option, as you readily have

this information at your disposal and can quickly inform the patron of it without having to employ the assistance of additional staff.

• Option 2 is also good, and is the best course of action to take if you do not have the information to assist the patron. The IT help desk is used to this type of question and can quickly and easily assist the patron.

• Options 3 is not a good solution, as it is not your supervisor’s job to retrieve login information—that is the responsibility of the IT department.

Scenario D

• A student searching for articles cannot figure out how to only search for full-text articles in one of the major databases provided by the library. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario D

• Option 1: Refer the patron to the reference librarian’s desk.

• Option 2: Contact the subject specialist bibliographer for the topic the student is researching, as he / she knows the most about that subject and the databases used for researching that subject.

• Option 3: Assist the student yourself if you are familiar with that database.

Correct Answer for Scenario D

• If you are familiar with the database in question, Option 3 is the best answer for this scenario. Helping a patron with a question like this is fully within the scope of your job, and is the fastest way to provide him or her with the information he or she needs. However, if you are unfamiliar with the database, you should refer the patron to the reference desk. Contacting the bibliographer is not a good solution, as this task falls outside the scope of his or her job.

Scenario E

• A library patron runs up to you and informs you that another patron is on the floor shaking and appears to be having a seizure. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario E

• Option 1: Call 9-1-1 immediately and then contact your supervisor.

• Option 2: Go to the student in trouble and see if there is something you can do to help him or her.

• Option 3: Contact your supervisor as he or she will best know how to deal with the situation.

Correct Answers for Scenario E• Option 1 is the best answer for this scenario. In

an emergency medical situation, you should ALWAYS dial 9-1-1 immediately, and only after that you should contact your supervisor.

• Option 2 is incorrect, as you should notify 9-1-1 immediately, in case you arrive on the scene and find out that there is nothing you can do. Valuable time may have been lost.

• Option 3 is also incorrect. While it is important to notify your supervisor of a medical emergency, you should only do so after you have contacted 9-1-1.

Scenario F

• You are working at the information desk when you hear shots fired in the library and hear students scream. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario F

• Option 1: Contact your supervisor immediately to notify him / her of the situation.

• Option 2: Crawl under your desk and stay there until the threat passes.

• Option 3: Crawl under your desk and press the panic button. Stay under your desk until the threat passes.

Correct Answer for Scenario F

• Option 3 is the best answer for this scenario. Your first priority is to make sure you are safe in any dangerous situation. However, once safely under your desk, you will be able to press a panic button that will immediately notify emergency authorities to a threat in the library.

Scenario G

• A student shows you an article that he or she printed off a Web site and asks you if that would count as a good source for a paper she is writing. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario G

• Option 1: Tell the student that you do not know and cannot help her.

• Option 2: Read the article quickly and give her your opinion on it.

• Option 3: Refer her to the reference librarian’s desk.

Correct Answers for Scenario G• Option 1 is not the best answer, as you should

refer the patron to someone who can help her. However, this option is better than option 2, as you should not advise patrons on suitable research material.

• Option 2 is incorrect because you are not qualified to help students make judgments about their homework or what resources to use or not use.

• Options 3 is the best answer, as reference librarians are fully qualified to help patrons make judgments about the validity and reliability of sources.

Scenario H

• A patron brings you a piece of paper with a paper assignment written on it for his history class. He asks you what he should do to start researching for this paper. How should you respond?

Options for Scenario H

• Option 1: Do a catalog search for the student on the subject of his paper to help him find books in the library that could help him.

• Option 2: Tell him about methods and resources you found helpful for a paper you just turned in for a different course.

• Option 3: Refer the patron to the reference librarian.

Correct Answer for Scenario H

• Option 3 is the correct answer. While options 1 and 2 might yield some positive resources for the patron, it could also lead him to unhelpful resources or confuse him even more. Even if you know of a great resource, a reference librarian will know of multiple helpful and reliable resources to access and may also have a research guide or pathfinder on the topic for the patron to use.