I. Statement of Library’s Mission
The Amherst Town Library shall strive to provide all community residents with materials and services for their information, education and entertainment needs.
II. Mission of the Reference Department
It is the mission of the Reference Department to effectively meet the community residents’ information, education, and entertainment needs by bringing the library’s resources and potential users together through a variety of services. The Reference Staff is committed to providing excellent customer service to all research requests in an attentive, prompt, accurate, and professional manner. Intellectual freedom and respect for confidentiality are the foundation of our services. The Reference Department affirms the Library Bill of Rights and Code of Ethics as stated by the American Library Association. In this rapidly changing information environment, we, as professional Reference Librarians, take actions each day to stay current and up-to-date in our knowledge of information sources and strive to respond to the specific needs of our community of library users. Reference service is available to all persons served by the Library regardless of age, sex, religion, race, social, or economic status.
III. Purpose of this Policy Statement
The purpose of this policy statement is to provide the Staff with a compendium of information policies that promote a uniform standard of service of the highest possible quality for all library patrons.
This policy is designed both to orient new Staff members and to be an information resource for more experienced Staff.
The Head of Reference will endeavor to review the policy annually for currency, accuracy, and completeness. Specific changes will be made throughout the year as the need for them arises.
IV. General Guidelines for Reference Service
Priorities
Service to the public receives priority over any other duties. Other tasks and professional assignments are secondary. In-person patron requests are handled first. Telephone, email, fax, and mail requests are responded to in a timely manner and meet the library users’ communicated time needs. Questions that remain unanswered at the end of a Reference Librarian’s desk shift may be passed on to the incoming Reference Librarian if deemed necessary. Staff members are encouraged to consult with colleagues if they need help with a difficult question. If the requested information cannot be provided within 24 hours, the patron should be notified of the status of the request. The Library’s primary responsibility is to Amherst Town Library patrons. Only basic reference service is provided for requests from those who are not Amherst Town Library cardholders. Library users with time-consuming inquiries who are not Amherst Town Library cardholders may be referred to the public library in their own community, if appropriate; and, in cases where the Amherst Town Library has special resources in Staff or materials, and the needs of the user seem to warrant it, assistance beyond the routine may be given. In answering Reference questions, authoritative and reputable sources are consulted and cited after a complete Reference Interview is conducted. The Reference Department will actively communicate the scope, nature, and availability of the information services we offer.
Information Access
The Reference Department will maintain innovative and effective tools for meeting the community residents’ information needs. These tools include a customer friendly web site, excellent print and non-print information sources, and useful and relevant electronic databases available in the library and remotely. Collection decisions affirm the Amherst Town Library’s Reference Collection Development Policy. The library’s building shall not be a boundary to its information services. The Reference Department offers Reference Service to information seekers at the place where they are when they have a question and will endeavor to be progressive in seeking new technologies available to communicate with library users. Photocopies provided to patrons in conjunction with the answering of Reference questions are free.
Education, Culture and Entertainment Access
The Reference Department offers educational, cultural and entertainment opportunities in the following ways: one-on-one or “group” help with research needs; one-on-one assistance in computer applications; and, cultural and entertainment programs that respond to the needs of the community and affirm the role of the library as a community gathering and information center.
Interlibrary Service
The Reference Department offers excellent interlibrary loan services to support the diverse research needs and to satisfy the broad reading interests of all Amherst Town Library patrons. For detailed interlibrary loan policies and procedures, please see the Interlibrary Loan Policy section.
Revision approved by Library Board of Trustees September 17, 2012.