Fully Booked

A fake blog about real issues in library science

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“De-mystifying the Library: A Layman’s Guide to the Functional Areas of a Library”

Part 2: Where The People Are

In Part One we covered how library materials are selected and acquired, this next part will be discussing more of the forward facing areas of a library. 

These will be the parts of the library that patrons like Erik will interact with directly.

3. Circulation

Circulation can be considered both the heart and face of a library. Typically, the Circulation desk is the first thing visitors see when they enter the building. Librarians that work in this area are the ones answering general questions and directing patrons, and their behavior can make or break a guest’s experience. When Erik walks in, the library staff at the circulation desk will be able to help guide him where he needs to go. If Erik doesn’t have a library card, they can set him up with one. If he has any late fees, the people at the circulation desk can help resolve them. Circulation staff keep shelves organized, so patrons like Erik can easily find what they need. If Erik decides to check out any materials, he will need to go to circulation to do so. When his project eventually finishes, they can help him return materials. 

A library simply cannot function without circulation. Without circulation, books would be lost, patrons would be neglected, and shelves would be messy and inaccessible. 

3. Reference

Besides circulation, reference is the functional area that will be most helpful to Erik’s paper. The purpose of reference is to connect patrons to the information that they need. If Erik asks a reference librarian for assistance with his research topic, the librarian will first begin with some detailed questions to determine exactly what he needs. Depending on his answers, they will then direct him to the best ways to conduct his research. They might recommend some print resources to check out, as well as find a suitable database and instruct him how to use it. If Erik needs to use a computer and needs assistance , a reference librarian will be happy to show him how.  

Without a reference department, a library will not be able to provide nearly as personalized service to their patrons. A good reference department helps the library establish trust and importance in their community. 

Check out this 1953 PSA about reference services from the Milwaukee Public library:

4. Cataloging 

Cataloging is the method by which libraries classify and organize their materials. There are several different types of cataloging, but they all have to do with creating records of materials. Cataloging helps patrons find the information they need. Cataloging that is accessible from the internet in particular can be very helpful for gaining new patrons that would have otherwise not walked in.  In Erik's case, a good cataloging department makes it easy for him to find materials that the reference librarian recommended. Once Erik becomes comfortable with the library, he can use the catalog to find additional resources.  If a book is miss cataloged it becomes inaccessible for patrons. Patrons that cannot find materials may become frustrated and turn elsewhere.

5. Inter-library Loans or Resource Sharing 

Inter-library loans are the way in which libraries can share resources. A library that participates in inter-library loans helps to make information more accessible. If Erik wants a title that is not in his library’s collection, but is in the collection of a partner library, the library can make an arrangement to have it sent over. Inter-library loans are particularly helpful for patrons that cannot or will not travel to other libraries. Resource sharing can be expensive for libraries, but the benefits to patrons typically outweigh the costs. 

Was this helpful? Let me know in the comments!

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De-mystifying the Library: A Layman’s Guide to the Functional Areas of a Library

Part 1: Behind the Curtain

In my previous post, I discussed Librarians and approachability which I will link here: https://www.tumblr.com/fullybookedlss/712193237439348736/no-man-nor-librarian-is-an-island?source=share. 

In this post, I will be breaking down the six different functional areas of a Library with a little help from a new friend of mine: Erik. 

Erik writes: 

Hi Fully Booked! 

My name is Eric and I am a sophomore in high school. Recently I was assigned a research paper on the civil rights movement and the election of Barack Obama as president. Could you explain how a library might be able to assist me with my paper?

Thanks again for the question, Erik!

Let’s go ahead and dive in with…

1. Collection Development 

Before a patron even steps in the door, the library staff tasked to Collection Development have been hard at work. The job of collection development is to select materials that best serve the library's community. In order to guide this process, libraries have something called a selection policy. Selection policies vary from library to library, but one of the main considerations for selecting materials is demographics. Every community is unique, so libraries have to adapt to the needs of the people who live there. In Erik’s case, the process of collection development selected the materials which he can use to support his research paper. Without collection development, a library can become out of touch with its community. If patrons cannot find materials they need, they may turn elsewhere, and library usage could dwindle away.

Acquisition 

Acquisition and collection development are closely related, with some key differences. If you think of those working in collection development as architects, then those working acquisition would be the builders. Collection development chooses which materials to purchase, and acquisition purchases and receives the materials. In order to prevent redundancy and error, acquisition first  begins by confirming the materials they are asked to acquire. When a librarian working in acquisition receives a request for new materials they might start by asking themselves a few questions like: 

Do we already have copies of this resource?

If so, what condition are they in?

Does this resource exist?

If physical, is it in print?

Can we access it?

Once these questions are answered to their satisfaction, Library Staff will then place the order, monitor the shipping process, and then receive the new materials. 

Acquisition is a vital area in the library. Without acquisition, the Library would be empty,  Erik would have no reason to visit, and  he would have to find the reference material for his paper elsewhere. Most teenagers tend to be short on time and money, so if acquisition wasn't there to do its job, Erik might have to use some limited resources which he could have otherwise avoided. 

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No man, (nor librarian) is an island.

Not every worker in a library works the same job- Did you know that Libraries have 6 functional areas? In smaller libraries, some of these departments may overlap, but generally speaking, these areas are:

Reference

Circulations

Acquisitions

Inter-library loans

Cataloging 

Collection Development

(More on this later)

Stereo-typically, library workers are portrayed being more likely to scold or aggressively shush a patron than to help them. Unfortunately, this can often make library staff seem intimidating, but thankfully this is almost never the case. In fact, the American Library Association has established guidelines for librarians’ behavior when interacting with patrons, and the 1st guideline is about approachability.* Here’s a quote from the ALA’s "Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers" :

“ the librarian's first step in initiating the reference transaction is to make the patron feel comfortable in a situation that can be perceived as intimidating, confusing, or overwhelming.” 

As someone with social anxiety, the more I know about where and how I will be interacting with people, the less nervous I become. 

Therefore, In my following posts I’m going to start a series entitled called:

“De-mystifying the Library: A Layman’s Guide to the Functional Areas of a Library” 

Which I’m going to link here. Feel free to comment or message me if you have more questions, or if you’d like to suggest a future topic for me to talk about. 

*These guidelines are written specifically for librarians working in reference and information services, but can be extrapolated to apply to library staff in other patron-facing roles.

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