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LouisvillePublicLibrary <br />ReferencePolicy <br />ReadoptedbytheLouisvillePublicLibraryBoardofTrustees, <br />November17,2004. <br />MISSIONOFREFERENCESERVICES <br />ThemissionoftheReferenceDepartmentistosupporttheinformationresourcerequirements <br />ofthecommunityusingprofessionallytrainedreferencestaff.ThestaffwillutilizeAmerican <br />LibraryAssociationmaterials,aswellasmonitorcustomerrequeststoforecastuser <br />requirements.Thestaffwillfollowthe &»¯ª«²¯´«¹forBehavioralPerformanceofReference <br />andInformationServices/¸µ¬«¹¹¯µ´§²¹!approvedbytheReferenceandAdultServicesDivision <br />oftheAmericanLibraryAssociationinJanuary1996.(Seeattachment.) <br />Thepurposeofreferenceguidelinesistodescribetheserviceswhichareofferedbythe <br />department,setstandardsforservice,andtoprovideguidanceforreferencestaff.Reference <br />staffmembersserveasthelinkbetweenresourcesandpatrons.Inthatrole,itisimportantthat <br />staffmembersbe: <br />knowledgeableaboutlibrarymaterials,electronicservices,andreference <br />transactions. <br />abletodemonstrateahighdegreeofinterestinthereferencetransactionand <br />commitmenttoprovidingthemosteffectiveassistance. <br />protectiveofeachinformation»¹«¸¹righttoprivacyandconfidentiality. <br />objectiveandnotinterjectvaluejudgmentsaboutsubjectmatterorthenatureofa <br />¶§º¸µ´¹question. <br />Referencecustomersarepeopleseekinginformationwhetherinperson,bytelephone,fax, <br />email,orotherelectronicconveyance.Referenceservicesarenondiscriminatoryonthebasisof <br />age,race,ordisability.Theª«¶§¸º³«´º¹highestpriorityistoprovidepersonalassistanceto <br />patronswhoareonsite.Inquiriesreceivedbymail,telephone,fax,oremailwillbeansweredas <br />expeditiouslyaspossible.Attheirdiscretionlibrariansmayreturnlongdistancereferencecalls <br />whenappropriate.Confidentialityofuserrequestsisrespectedatalltimes. <br />Iftheuserisreferredtoanotherlibrary,librarian,subjectexpert,orinstitution,itisimportantto <br />facilitatetheprocessbyconfirmingthattheotherresourcecanprovidetheinformationandwill <br />extenditsservicestotheuser.Thelibrarianmaycallaheadorcheckanonlinecatalogto <br />facilitatetheprocess.Thelibrarianwillprovidethepatronandotherinformationproviderwith <br />asmuchinformationaspossibletofacilitatethesearch. <br />GENERALSERVICEGUIDELINES <br />1.Staffmemberscanprovideinformationbutshouldnotinterpretthatinformation. <br />Instructionwillbeprovidedintheuseoflibraryresources,astimepermits,enabling <br />userstopursueinformationindependentlyandeffectivelyifsodesired. <br /> <br />ReferencePolicyPage1of3 <br />