3A. Reference Service Mission and Goals
The mission of the library’s reference service is to identify and respond to the informational, educational, and recreational needs of all its users.
The goals of the library’s reference service are:
- To provide aid or information as required by users.
- To facilitate access to, and optimum use of, the library’s resources by:
- Providing the answer from the information source.
- Directing the user to the source.
- Teaching the user how to use the source.
- To select, acquire, and organize sources of information to meet the current and anticipated needs of library users according to the library’s collection development guidelines.
- To supplement the library’s sources through interlibrary loan, referral, or contacting other library or non-library sources.
- To foster and promote the best possible use of the library’s services and resources that are non-discriminatory based on age, race, religion, sexuality, or disability.
3B. Reference Services Overview
Staff members act as a link between the library’s information resources and services and patrons. All staff are responsible for supporting a welcoming environment conducive to individual research and study.
The library expects staff to be:
- Knowledgeable about both traditional and electronic reference sources and familiar with the types of resources in the library’s collections.
- Able to instruct patrons in the use of print and electronic resources available from the library,
- Knowledgeable about Franklin Township, its government, and other local sources of information.
- Able to communicate effectively with all library users, and impartial in those communications,
- Able to apply good judgment in the interpretation of library policies, and to exercise discretion in the proper application of those policies.
3C. Information Requests Requiring Special Approaches
Appraisals of Items
Staff do not make appraisals. Staff show the printed sources the library owns, can provide guidance on reputable online resources, and suggest that the patron contact dealers or other experts. Staff point out that printed price information may be region-dependent or out-of-date and that the value of an object depends on its condition.
Homework and Student Assignments
If the intent of the assignment is to train students in the use of the library, then the librarian’s role is limited to directing students to the proper reference sources. If, after a thorough search of sources in the library, the librarian is unable to supply information for the assignment, they may, if asked, write a brief note on library letterhead notifying the teacher of the problem.
Legal Information
Staff provide legal definitions and specific citations from the codes, but do not interpret passages. Staff caution the patron on the complexity of the law, the possibility that other pertinent laws may exist, and the limitations of library materials. Staff do not recommend specific attorneys but may suggest the patron contact an attorney or the local bar association for further assistance.
Local History and Genealogical Research
The library does not perform extensive genealogical research.
Located at the DeMott Lane branch, the library’s historical collection holds information on a variety of subjects about Franklin Township that are of interest to researchers both locally and nationally. Although items in the Historical Room collection do not circulate, many books in that collection are also available in the NJ collection or elsewhere on the library’s shelves for circulation. Many of the newspaper clippings in the Historical Room Vertical File are available through the link to the FTPL Newspaper Archive under the Explore menu on the library’s website.
Patrons who wish to conduct research in the Historical Room should be supervised by library staff in their use of the materials. We recommend they contact the DeMott Lane Reference Desk to ask for help in finding materials first and to confirm availability.
Medical Questions
Staff will assist patrons in finding information about diseases or medical conditions, tests, and treatments in print and in digital sources. Staff do not interpret medical information. Staff do not make diagnoses, give advice, or make recommendations. Staff may refer patrons to the local medical society, or to area hospitals. Staff do not recommend specific health care professionals.
Reader’s Advisory
Staff help patrons select materials when they request assistance. Although this is a judgmental activity, a staff member’s advice is based on a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of the library’s collection. Additional resources may be provided online and in print.
Research Requests
If the information needed to answer a question is very lengthy or must be compiled from several sources, staff help the patron to locate appropriate materials, show him/her how to use them, and check periodically to make sure the patron is progressing well. When a research request is phoned in, staff encourage the patron to come to the library in person if the appropriate materials are in the library’s collection. Staff may recommend database searches and/or make referrals to other libraries and organizations when their collection would better meet the patron’s needs.
Translations
Staff look up words and simple phrases in dictionaries but cannot provide full translation services.
3D. Requests for Materials
Purchase Requests and Interlibrary Loans
All requests for materials not owned by the library are taken using one common ILL/Purchase Request Form. The library’s Collection Development Policy serves as the overall guide for determining how and what the library purchases. Materials that are requested by a patron that fall outside the purview of our Collection Development Policy and were not published in the last calendar year are typically requested via Interlibrary Loan.
Only residents and paid cardholders who have an active library card in good standing may request materials through this service. Reciprocal borrowers and work-in-town cardholders should contact their home library for additional assistance.
The library cannot guarantee the exact arrival date of materials requested through this service. In many cases these requests may take between 2 – 4 weeks.
The library will not accept requests for materials with a publication or release date more than six (6) months from the date of request. Items without a release date cannot be requested. Users are limited to a total of three (3) active requests at a time. A request is considered active until the requested item has been made available to the user.