As a Librarian at a small private college who regularly staffs the reference desk, I am always challenged by those questions whose answers require more than a quick check of the online public access catalog or scan of the available online subscription databases. For example, my colleague (who monitors the “Ask a Librarian” email) recently forwarded to me one such email which asked for back issues of a certain magazine. The magazine is one which we currently subscribe; however, we retain only a year’s worth of back issues in print. The inquirer was told this information by my colleague, and he quickly replied (paraphrasing), “Can you tell me where I might find the issues that I’m looking for?” Further complicating the search for a satisfying answer was the fact that the inquiry came from someone not part of our campus community. It would have been easy to tell the person to access our subscription database, Ebscohost to find electronic copies of the issues he was seeking. But no, this was a public inquiry and rather than just tell them to investigate the many wonderful databases available at most public libraries, I did the footwork for him. I found which library subscribed to the database in which their magazine was included, and then sent him the answer which included the name of the library; the name of the database where he would find electronic copies of the magazine he was looking for, and instructions on how to apply for a library card (if he didn’t already have one). When sharing this story with a colleague it was only then that it occurred to me that I probably went “beyond the call of duty” to answer this question. In some ways, I agree; however, at the time, all I saw was a person who needed help finding an answer to his question. It didn’t matter that this was a question better suited for a public library – which is not where I am employed. But I felt that it was important to answer this question. After all, it was directed to me for a reason. So how far is too far? Well, soon after I sent him an alternative option for accessing the needed information, he sent me a very nice thank you note. I guess I went far enough.
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To play devil’s advocate for a moment… Do you think your employer feels the same way? Or would they rather you spend your time on other things? And I mean that as a legitimate question because I can see both sides. On the one hand, they have a right to be stingy with your time, but on the other, they want us to have a bright and shiny reputation which this encounter helped to enable. Interesting conundrum.
Further complicating the matter are the differing perspespectives from which we (me and my employer) operate — library school-trained as opposed to business school-trained. So yes, this will continue to be a conundrum; but one that I am willing to navigate.