Reference Desk Phone Answering

When answering the phone, you are the representative of the University. Formal etiquette is appropriate.

When picking up the reference desk line, say, “Reference desk, may I help you?” Please answer the Government Publications line (836-3859) with, "Hello, Government Publications and Reference, may I help you?"

Please note that in addition to physically answering the Government Publications line at the right-hand desk, you can pick up the Government Publications line from the left-hand desk by pressing the Govt. Pubs button on the phone.

Take notes:

• Who is calling
• Do they want to speak with someone particular? If appropriate, transfer the phone to the requested person’s extension (see Phone Transfers procedures)
• What is the question or request
• A phone number where the caller can be reached

Questions

• If a simple question about hours, respond and record the question in Libstats in the “Non-Resource” .
• If a more complicated question and you are not a librarian, say, “I will get a librarian to help you. Can you hold or would you prefer we call you back?” Write down the person’s phone number and the question as you understand it, give it as soon as possible to the librarian on duty

Appointments

• If the person wants to request an InfoLit class session, take down all the information on the scheduling card and say, “Thank you, the librarian who will be presenting the session to your class will call you to confirm the room and materials to be covered.”
• If the person wants to set up an appointment with a librarian, take down all the information on the scheduling card and say, “Thank you, the librarian who will be meeting with you will call you back to confirm the time and information to be covered.”  (You may need to record a range of times.)
• If the person wants to set up a training session for a University group other than a regular class, fill out the scheduling card and say, “Thank you, the librarian who will be presenting the session will call you to confirm the room, time, and date as well as the materials to be covered.”
• If the person is not a member of the University but wants to schedule a “tour” for their group (e.g. a high school teacher) fill out the scheduling card and say, “Thank you, the librarian who will be presenting the session will call you to confirm the time, and date as well as the materials to be covered.”
• If the person wants to reserve a room for a University group and you do not have editing access to the Outlook calendar, take down all the information and say, “Thank you. If there is a conflict in the schedule for the room you want, we will notify you as soon as possible.”