TGIF Tips – 12/12/08, Issue 9

We are happy to announce that Ask a Librarian’s Policies & Procedures have been updated. The Ask a Librarian Advisory Committee and Ask a Librarian staff worked hard to develop a set of policies and procedures that best serve Ask a Librarian’s users and staff. The language and suggestions used were updated to reflect our continued growth, the InstantService software platform, etc.

In order to better reflect and address concerns of patron privacy and access issues, the new Policies & Procedures contains an important change from our previous Policies & Procedures: we are no longer asking the patron for his/her library card number, or PIN, in any form.

Previously, we might have asked for this in order to place holds for users, renew items for users, etc. Here are some examples of what you might consider in some of these situations:

A patron wants to renew materials or place a hold…
- Explain that you will walk them through the process.
- Check the KnowledgeBase for possible access information specific to that library system.
- Push the specific login page to the patron.
- Guide them through the steps of logging in and then renewing or reserving materials.
- If the patron still needs help, offer to find them contact info for their branch or to forward the chat to their local library staff.

A patron is having trouble accessing his/her library’s databases…
- Check the KnowledgeBase for possible access links or instructions specific to that library system and to ensure that the patron has the correct login page.
- Some libraries in KnowledgeBase offer a staff ID (dummy ID) that you can use to enter the databases, search for and email articles, etc. (Do not give this number to the patron.)
- Don’t forget about the resources available through the Florida Electronic Library! The Gale Resources folder under the URLs tab has password-embedded links to paid databases… and they are available to every resident of the state of Florida.
- Depending on the patron’s information literacy goals and comfort with technology, you may consider ScreenSharing. ScreenSharing with your patron can be an extremely effective way of demonstrating any step-by-step process, and you can make it interactive by asking the patron to click on links, enter search strings, etc.

The PDF document “AAL Policies & Procedures Revised May 2009” is available online in the Librarian Toolbox section. Comments and suggestions are always encouraged, so let us know what you think!

~ ~ ~

Gale Links Refresher!

Ask a Librarian is funded as part of the Florida Electronic Library (FEL). Both Ask a Librarian and the Florida Electronic Library share a common goal of providing reference and information services to residents of Florida. Through the FEL, Florida patrons have access to a number of electronic resources, including magazine & newspaper articles, almanacs, encyclopedias, books, and more – just by having a public library card. But here’s the cool thing – the Agent Console contains password-embedded links to the FEL Gale databases, which means you (and the patron) can access these without a library card number. Knowing that you & your patrons (as Florida residents) have access to these resources is essential, and will prove especially helpful in assisting those patrons whose access to proprietary databases is otherwise limited.

KnowledgeBase Refresher!

Remember to use KnowledgeBase for local library information. Located under the main KnowledgeBase tab and KnowledgeBase subtab in the top right corner, the KnowledgeBase contains link or text information for local libraries, such as telephone numbers and branch hours and locations. KnowledgeBase entries often contain links or text information on known access/login issues, and may be very helpful in isolating the problem your patron is experiencing.

This is also where participating libraries may supply a staff ID (or dummy ID). This number is not given to the patron. Those staffing Ask a Librarian use this number so they can access that library’s databases to perform searches, email articles, etc. – or simply to mimic the patron’s steps on the staff end. If your patron does not know their library card number, remember to check that library’s listing in the KnowledgeBase to see if that library offers a staff ID. (This is especially important to check when the patron needs resources not available through the Florida Electronic Library.)

Here’s a between-patron activity for you – try looking up your own library system’s entry in the KnowledgeBase. If you can think of valuable links or information that might help other staff better serve your patrons, be sure to let us or your site coordinator know!