#lib 200

I hope you all have been staying safe and staying connected! 

Today I wanted to talk about something I’ve gotten asked about. I often get questions sent in by students asking for resources and links, or book recommendations for whatever paper they’ve been working on; and I’m glad that they see me as someone who can help! As an employee of my local library, working as a library support staff, I use my skills to direct these students in the right direction. I thought I’d make a post that really explains how your library helps you out.

A student recently asked for help with finding resources for a paper on the Civil Rights Movement and how it tied into the election of former president Barack Obama. I want to use this as an example to describe the various departments of your local library and how they all contribute to you getting the information you need to succeed.

Reference Desk/Services

So, if you need help with finding information, the reference desk will probably be your first stop. References services are there to make information easier to obtain. They can teach you how to find the information yourself, such as by learning how to use different databases. Or, if needed, they can also find specific materials/items that you need. There are a lot of ways to reach reference staff: in person, call-in, email, text, online chatting, or virtually. 

So, let’s say you go up to the reference table and say, “Where are your books on the Civil Rights Movement?” The staff may then ask you, “Was there anything in particular about the Civil Rights Movement that you’re interested in?” You may say, “I’m interested in laws passed, maybe like a timeline. I want to know what laws allowed us to have a black president.” The staff might then direct you to the relevant materials. They will also double-check to make sure the item has the correct information and if you have any more questions.

It’s important to note that some libraries, especially if they are small, don’t have a dedicated reference desk and they will conduct these services at the circulation desk. This is known as the “one service desk” model. In this scenario, staff manning the circulation desk will also share the reference desk duties.

Circulation Desk

After finding the materials you need, you might want to take them home, so the circulation desk should be your next stop. One of their key roles is also public relations, as their desk is often the first desk someone sees when they walk in; they are often the first point of contact. So, it’s important for the staff here to make sure they are kind and welcoming as their behaviors decide whether a patron will return. 

Circulation operation has 4 main functions: checking materials out, checking materials in, shelving returned materials, and housekeeping. Housekeeping refers to keeping materials accessible by “reading the shelves”. This means they monitor the shelves, making sure that books are in the right order, checking for overdue materials, looking for “lost” items, or checking for damaged materials. It is also at this desk that people can sign up for their library card, pay their late fees, inquire about library events and programs, and request reserve materials. It is important for the staff of this department to be very knowledgeable about library functions and materials available to effectively aid patrons. Also, if the circulation staff weren’t there, or were so diligent, at housekeeping and organizing, then it would be difficult for anyone to find materials, or to know what was available. 

Resource Sharing

Let’s say there was a specific book that you are looking for that would be perfect for your paper, but your library doesn’t carry it. If reference services and/or the circulation desk can’t find the material you are looking for in their library or databases, there is always the option to request it from another library. Interlibrary loans (ILL) is the process in which one library will provide books and other materials to another library. Staff at your library will take down the name and information of the materials you need, double-check to make sure the library doesn’t already own it (or has ordered it), and use their system to find a library that owns it, and then place the order. It’s important that staff be as accurate as possible so that the right item gets ordered. Before the item is also given to the patron, it needs to be logged into the requesting library’s system so that it can be tracked and later returned to its home library. If not, this may result in materials being lost and mis-shelved; if it happened too many times, then libraries may decide not to share to that location anymore, resulting in a loss of resources for its patrons. 

These services can work as they should thanks to the help of other departments.

Acquisitions

As the name implies, this department acquires materials for the library and receives print and non-print materials. Staff in this department will receive a request, check the bibliographic information (to make sure they exist and are not already in the library’s catalog), they then place the order if the item is not already in the library’s collection, they then prepare to receive the item. Upon receipt, staff will unpack the boxes, check the packing slip against the items (item per item) to make sure that the order is correct, and then they process the materials into the system. A properly running acquisitions department will order according to the needs of the library and within its budget. Without new acquisitions, there would be no new material for patrons to access, and items may become dated and inaccurate. 

Collections Development The purpose of acquisitions is Collection Development; staff want to select materials that serve the needs of the primary service population. Libraries often use statistics gained by the circulation desk (of what gets checked out or not, what gets requested, and what needs replacing) to decide what to order or bring out of storage. Possible criteria in a selection policy include positive reviews, the reputation of the author, local interest, demand, and budget limitations. This department may also include digital acquisitions, such as database subscriptions. This process helps the library ensure that its patrons are receiving materials and information that meets their needs. 

Cataloging

Cataloging is very important for the organization of the library. There are different ways to organize and keep track of materials. You’ve all have likely noticed the assortment of letters and numbers on the spines of books at your library. Those are classifications that tell librarians where to put different types of books. Public libraries usually use the Dewey Decimal System while Academic libraries (such as at the university level) use the Library of Congress Classification. Each system has set categories for where books are sorted into. So, say you were looking for a biography of Barack Obama at your local neighborhood library and you find The Presidency of Barack Obama: A First Historical Assessment / edited by Julian E. Zelizer in the online catalog, and you want to look for it on the shelf. This book will have the same call number, or shelf designation, no matter which library you go to (given that they possess a copy of it). This book has the call number (973.932 O121P). If you notice the first three numbers, 973, that already narrows down where the book is located by a lot. Call numbers in the 900s are all History and Geography; 970s are the History of North America, and 973s are specifically History of the United States. Cataloging is so important to keeping materials accessible to both patrons and staff. Without a dedicated cataloger, there would be chaos and great difficulty in finding the information you need.