From the Director's Desk

February 5, 2008

Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director

Telling the Library Story - Part 6

The one message most important to tell your library patrons, users, or customers is that of what services your library offers them.

Here is a short list of services —

	Checking out materials in all formats, for all ages and needs.
	Programming or classes for children, teens, and adults, teachers, researchers, etc.
	Internet access or database access—for which you provide training.
	Interlibrary Loan when the library does not own a copy of an item.
	Use of equipment, fax machine, copy machine, Ellison Die cut machine, microfilm readers, various projectors, and more.
	For public libraries, there is also Reciprocal Borrowing.

Not only do you have to let people know what these services are but also the rules that apply for each of those services. How to inform your patrons about these regulations is varied. You can have signs that tell how long an item can be checked out, or the cost for use of a machine. You could create a brochure that spells out these services and rules. The library website is also a place for rules and policies to be located. Whatever way you inform the patrons, you must let them know the policies for use of library services.

Because many RPLS libraries are members of the Horizon database or LLSAP, there is one additional piece of information that needs to be shared with your library patrons. When they go to another library to use materials, computers, or other services, the rules of the library they are standing in apply. They must abide by the other library’s checkout policies, loan periods, requirements for use of equipment, fines, rules of conduct, etc. This can be hard for some people to understand and requires all of us to be as patient and tactful as possible when explaining the in-house rules to visiting patrons of other libraries.

When libraries have an interaction with another library’s patron, often a follow-up call is needed to the patron’s home library. Again patience and tact are needed. A professional approach is required, as we are all working for the same thing: providing library service to the people of central Illinois.

This month, review the ways that you inform your patrons about the services of your library and the rules that govern them. And remember to be patient and tactful when explaining these rules to your own and visiting library patrons. Let’s be nice out there. After all, it is February, the month we celebrate Valentines Day.

Rolling Prairie Library System
A Library for Librarians
Helping Libraries Serve Illinois Citizens