Berwyn Public Library
Reference Service Policy
Mission
The Berwyn Public Library is a service-oriented organization dedicated to providing materials that meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of the community. The library actively provides timely, accurate, and useful information for community residents delivered in a technologically modern and professional manner. Special emphasis is placed in the following areas: to obtain and provide high demand, high interest materials in a variety of formats for persons of all ages; to encourage and stimulate the reading interest of young children and their parents; and to assist students of all ages in meeting their educational objectives.
Reference Mission
The Berwyn Public Library is committed to reference services by trained staff (must meet the requirements established by the Suburban Library System in Minimum Reference Standards) during all the hours the library is open. If trained staff is unavailable, a sign will be posted notifying patrons. Reference service is available to all patrons seeking information. Access to the entire reference collection will be open to all patrons. All reference transactions will be treated with impartiality and confidentiality.
Scope of Reference Service
Reference service is defined as assisting patrons to locate materials that will provide needed information and/or providing answers to factual questions. If determining the answer to a query involves reading and evaluating a large amount of material, the staff will locate suitable materials for the patron's use. All answers will be factual and sources will always be cited. Every effort will be made by staff to meet the informational needs of the patron. While staff can provide the patron with access to information, staff cannot interpret said information for the patron. Staff may not offer personal opinion, advice, or interpretation as fact. Staff is not legally qualified to offer legal, medical, and tax advice. Staff cannot give stock quotes or supply pricing information over the telephone. Since homework assignments are regarded as part of the learning process, staff cannot answer homework questions. Staff will assist the student in finding appropriate sources of information to complete the homework assignment.
Prompt Service
In order to provide efficient service to all patrons in an equitable manner, certain priorities and limits have been established. In general, in-person questions will take precedence over questions received by telephone, mail, email (reference@berwynlibrary.net) or other means, but all requests for information will receive an answer or status report within one (1) working day. The time spent on an individual question depends on whether others are waiting. If the question cannot be answered within that time, the staff member will offer to continue the search and contact the patron with the answer. Likewise, if an answer to a telephone inquiry cannot be made within a few minutes, the Reference staff will take the patron's telephone number and call back. Reference staff will not read lengthy information to patrons over the phone.
Adopted by the Berwyn Public Library Board of Trustees
Effective December 11, 1989
Revised August 28, 1991
Revised March 13, 1995
Revised May 11, 1998
Revised November 9, 1998
Revised June 12, 2000
Revised November 10, 2003
Revised April 12, 2004
Reference Service Policy Download: |
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