Bring a hedgehog into the library and frantically ask the clerks where they keep the reverse spell casting books.
— Richard McCarthy (@Rich_McCarthy) April 17, 2013
If the staff is well-trained, they’ll refer to patron to the reference librarians. The librarians will then conduct a proper reference interview.
Why? Because rarely does a patron state his/her need in a way that readily translates to the library’s resources. The patron may be asking for a reverse casting spell and does not care if it from a book, a video or an electronic database.
Furthermore, the presence of the hedgehog and the patron’s mood may not be a reliable indicator of his/her information need. A good librarian doesn’t assume, but asks clarifying questions in order to systematically drill down to the patron objective.
Does that make sense to you? Good. You now qualify for 3 semester hours from an ALA-accredited MLIS program.
(Photo: Vladislav Sabanov)