Comments on: Bibliographic Instruction is Not a Home Run Derby

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Mon, 15 Nov 2010 01:50:27 +0000

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By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 23:15:01 +0000

At the end of my mini-BI sessions, I will always encourage people to take one of our calendars. Not because it has our events on it, but because it has our phone number and hours on it. Depending on the situation, I might comment on the content of the calendar and maybe chat up a few things. But I always say they can call us for what they need. That just makes sense.

I do like the “wow” factor and try to capitalize on patrons when they are impressed. I try to leave it in a state that they would give us a call or visit because they might be surprised if we can do something else on their behalf.

By: missshortskirt

missshortskirt — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:24:53 +0000

Back in undergrad, I saw my BI goals as such:

1) Show them something REALLY COOL that they never would have found on their own. In my BI sessions in Michigan, I was teaching people who were not university students, so they all got a kick out of the Michigan E-Library’s free database access from home with their driver’s license numbers. Do your research from home! Wowza!

2) Repeat, as many times as possible: REFERENCE LIBRARIANS ARE YOUR FRIEND! THEY GET PAID TO SIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS! They will answer the phone, answer your chats, talk to you for an hour with an appointment, wash your car, take your dog to the vet, they will willingly repeat everything I just told you that when you inevitably forget tomorrow afternoon, etc etc.

I think my philosophy still holds.