Thursday, April 14, 2005

Refgrunt Day

Ok. Here's the situation. I discovered I have to be at the Reference Desk--all day! Well--they've covered for me the past week when I was out, so fair's fair. So I'll be letting you know what people are asking for here today. I also have a ton of information to share with you and will apologize in advance for the number of e-mail notices you may receive. My responses will be in italics.

Can I use your stapler?
Sure
We're here for the architect's meeting. May we look around?
Sure. Here's a map of the building on this brochure.
I'm here to pick up a CSC packet. I missed the class.
Lengthy explanation of the assignment and encourage come back if needs more help.

Can you help me find information on lobbying? I need an encyclopedia type article.
Sure-- A quick search of our catalog helped identify the Call number and we went and browsed the reference shelves and pulled several books which should give enough to get started. I also recommended looking at our online encyclopedias for brief descriptions.
I'm switching to a different user name and putting this in a draft--in case you receive two items.

Could I borrow your stapler? sure

I'm a Roberts Student but I've never used the library before. Do I need a password to use these computers? Will this get me to The Roberts site? No and yes.

Can I sit down? Yes
I'm trying to find these articles, but I don't know if these--pointing to list-- are books or periodicals and I don't know where to look. I've been looking in but none of them are in the database or if I need Interlibrary Loan. Can you help?
Brief instruction on the difference between a book and journal entry, and I take the student to our A-Z locator which is our union list for journals. After one demonstration, the student leaves to go to another area and continue working

I'm looking for the employment listings for the college and was told to look on the webpage but I can't find it. Located and opened the link on the site.

I'm here with an architect team. May we look around? (lots of conversation about the building and introductions

You got my e-mail? (totally blank look from me.)
About what?
about the design team for the library?
and you are? I'm good at faces but poor at names--famously so. and there was no message.

Which computers print? They all do
Can I print a CD-Rom? --Downstairs

Hello. I've come to you to see if you can let me use this book. (pulls out purple sheet from a class on Tuesday.) My teacher says you have this book on Social work.
I show her the reference book she is seeking.
Would you mind signing for some packages?
Do you have Holy Feast, Holy Fast by Carolyn Walker Bynam?
I'm a prospective teacher. Could you show me your music collection?-- Brief tour of music collections ensues.I've been trying to print and can't get anything. There's a problem with a missing icon. Try e-mail instead.
Faculty member: I'm trying to find an Orchestral suite by Tchaiskovsky but I'm getting unrelated items. --Took some looking and finally found some in WorldCat which he could request through ILL

Do you know where I can find verses on commitment online? I have a friend who is having doubts and I want to find some verses to help. We looked at print Topical Bible dictionaries because I didn't readily see one online.

Do you have a stapler I could borrow?
Do you have tax forms? Gave directions to nearest public library.
What's today's date? huh(me) Today is the 14th? (today is the 14th I echo.)

Well, that's it for now. And now you know why I don't do refgrunts very often!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

loved the "Day in the life of the Reference Desk Librarian." Saved it for my non library friends who haven't got a clue as to what we do. BTW, can I borrow your stapler?

Linda Jones said...

Thanks. What I didn't add was that I worked on 2 brochures between questions as well as visited with other staff as needed.
You can borrow my stapler if you can find the restrooms here!