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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES >>REFERENCE |
 Priority
of Services
Standards
Orientation
and Instructional Services
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| Reference
services are considered a critical element in meeting the informational
needs of all patrons at the InterAmerican Campus Library. The Reference
Desk is staffed at all times during operating hours by qualified and trained
librarians who are dedicated to providing the best possible service. All
library patrons are encouraged to use the Reference Desk services. All
questions are given equal consideration and each will be answered as accurately
and completely as possible within a reasonable time limit. In order to
provide all library patrons with equal opportunity and quality of service,
the InterAmerican Campus Library has established the following guidelines
for reference services which parallel those of Miami-Dade College. |
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 PRIORITY
OF SERVICE |
Reference and Information Services include the following:
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Instruction and help in using library resources through tours, formal
classroom orientations, workshops, hand-outs and individual assistance.
Help in determining where to look for information using the resources
available through CCLA, SEFLIN, etc.
•
Patrons will not be denied information on the basis of whether or not
they learn or accept instruction.
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The library, however, will encourage patrons who will need to use certain
reference tools repeatedly to learn the use of such tools.
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The Reference Desk will answer directional, telephone inquiries, e-mails,
etc. in a first come, first served basis. Reference services in-person
take priority over telephone and e-mail inquiries.
Reference
and Information Services do not include
the following:
•
Materials in the Reference collection do not circulate. Any exceptions
must be approved by the library director or the faculty
librarian in charge.
•Reference
services do not include doing research and homework assignments for students.
•The
reference librarian will not read/correct research and/or homework assignments.
Such activities are part of the various specialized laboratories in campus.
•The
library reserves the right to fax articles and other resources to students.
•The
telephone and fax at the reference desk are for the library’s use
only. Students will only be allowed to use the reference desk telephone
for reference related questions or emergencies. For other matters, students
are encouraged to use the public phones by the parking elevators.
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| STANDARDS |
1.All
information requests are to be handled. If information is available, it
is provided to patrons without making a judgment on its moral or aesthetic
worth. Assessment of academic value of materials will be provided to students,
however.
2.No effort will be made to determine whether library
users are entitled to library cards before reference service is given except
to decide whether or not information material will be checked out or interlibrary
loan requested.
3.The needs of every library patron will always be taken
seriously and treated with utmost respect and confidentiality. Discussion
of any individual or group of individuals, whether adult or child, or their
inquiries, outside the professional context, is strictly prohibited without
the consent of the patron.
4.While on desk duty, service to the public takes precedence
over any other duty, and service to the patron takes precedence over telephone
and e-mail inquiries.
5.It is not sufficient for the staff to wait for a patron
to request assistance. Since many patrons are reluctant to request aid,
it is the responsibility of staff to anticipate public needs and offer
service when it appears needed.
6.Information given is always based on accurate printed
or electronic sources or learned from a reliable authority. The opinion, evaluation or
interpretation of staff, even when requested, is not given as fact. Answers
to reference questions will only be given after the answer has been verified
and a source cited, even for the most common knowledge.
7.Neither the patron’s nor the staff member’s
personal opinions and beliefs should influence the quality of service given.
8.Staff shall not offer their personal opinions on social
issues, politics, religion, etc., to patrons.
9.No time limit should be put on searching. However, lengthy
searches of periodicals, indexes, bibliographic sources, or searches through extensive
reference materials are beyond the librarian’s duties. Exceptions
will be made, with approval and recommendation of the library director
or faculty in charge, if lengthy searches are to be performed for professors,
administrators, and staff of the Miami Dade College.
10.Telephone reference service should be used for short,
factual information questions which do not require extensive reading or
interpretation on the staff member's part.
11.Articles and Internet site print-outs from the reference
desk are limited to 5 pages per article, not exceeding 4 articles per student.
Lengthy articles and, those in excess of 4 can be e-mailed to the student’s
electronic address as an alternative.
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| ORIENTATION
AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES
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As
part of the reference services, the library offers various instructional
services.
One-on-One:
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Students may request a one-on-one session with a librarian. The time for
these sessions is limited
to the faculty librarians’ hours at the reference desk. These sessions
are generally short with
handouts and other instructional materials provided as part
of the instruction.
Library Tours:
•Tours
are available to classes, organizations, and visitors upon request.
Requests can be made online or in person. They should be made approximately
3 working days
prior to the tour and they will be confirmed by the librarian via e-mail
or telephone. Tours are
encouraged for freshman level courses, ESL, and VESOL courses. Tours last approximately
30 minutes. Students will be introduced to various areas of the
library with the objective of
familiarizing them with the different resources available.
Library
Instruction:
•Instruction
is available to classes upon the instructor’s request. Requests
can be made online
or in person. They should be made approximately 3 working days prior
to the instruction and
they will be confirmed by the librarian via e-mail or telephone. Library
Instruction is encouraged for courses that involve research and lengthy assignments.
They last approximately 1
hour and can be of a general nature or subject specific.
Ask-A-Librarian:
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This service is available to all students, faculty, staff and administrators
at Miami-Dade College.
Only factual and short questions will be answered. Librarians will not
provide resources, but
instead, will show users how to access the resources and where are they
located. Questions will
be answered within 24 hours.
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