INTRODUCTION
One rule Circulation staff members have learned to respect is this: our thousands of patrons can invent circumstances and problems we could never anticipate. There is always something new, and while this Manual tries to be comprehensive and up-to-date, it can never be a substitute for your good judgement, or your willingness to ask questions.
This Manual is, nonetheless, a substantial and useful tool for our Department. All of our major policies and procedures are detailed here. Every staff member should learn what it has to offer, and return to it when uncertainty looms. When the circumstances are not clearly covered here, refer the matter to your supervisor right away.
This Manual is, nonetheless, a substantial and useful tool for our Department. All of our major policies and procedures are detailed here. Every staff member should learn what it has to offer, and return to it when uncertainty looms. When the circumstances are not clearly covered here, refer the matter to your supervisor right away.
Be friendly, helpful, and businesslike, all of the time. You may be having a bad day; you may have had a previous bad experience with the person you are dealing with; the problem they are bringing to you may be impossible. It makes no difference: Access Services is a front-line, public service unit of the University and the Library. Our reputation rests on the service that you give.
'Public Service' is who we are, what we do, and how we do it. It may seem that we are over-emphasizing the point, but the fact is we cannot emphasize it enough. Our department strives to give the best possible service. We are always looking to improve our services to our patrons, and we always deal with our patrons in a friendly and professional manner.
Two distinct threads run through this Manual. The first of these is respect: we hope that these pages reflect a respect for those we serve, for each other, and for the services we provide. Everyone deserves our best, and we owe it to ourselves and each other to learn our jobs and do them to the best of our ever-expanding abilities. The second is consistency: students deserve to be treated in a consistent way, in keeping with the established policies of the University and Library.
Not everything you need to know can be taught in the short time that we have available for training. We do try to cover all of the essentials, of course, but even the best trainer occasionally misses important points, and even the best new staff member forgets some of what has been learned.
In any case, when faced with the new, the unusual, or something that you or we have missed, if you do not know...ask!
'Public Service' is who we are, what we do, and how we do it. It may seem that we are over-emphasizing the point, but the fact is we cannot emphasize it enough. Our department strives to give the best possible service. We are always looking to improve our services to our patrons, and we always deal with our patrons in a friendly and professional manner.
Two distinct threads run through this Manual. The first of these is respect: we hope that these pages reflect a respect for those we serve, for each other, and for the services we provide. Everyone deserves our best, and we owe it to ourselves and each other to learn our jobs and do them to the best of our ever-expanding abilities. The second is consistency: students deserve to be treated in a consistent way, in keeping with the established policies of the University and Library.
Not everything you need to know can be taught in the short time that we have available for training. We do try to cover all of the essentials, of course, but even the best trainer occasionally misses important points, and even the best new staff member forgets some of what has been learned.
In any case, when faced with the new, the unusual, or something that you or we have missed, if you do not know...ask!