A customer at the library is interested in researching her family history. Where is a good place to get started researching Maryland genealogy?

There are some basic sources and databases that will help point a customer in the right direction in researching their Maryland family history. But before you jump in, you need to ask three basic questions. They are:

1. What time period are you interested in?
If the customer wants to know if their ancestor arrived with the first Maryland settlers on the Ark and Dove in 1634, then there is no reason to look at the U.S. Census which began in 1790. You first need to establish the time period before you can direct them to an appropriate source.

2. Which county or region of Maryland are you searching?
The volume of information varies greatly by county. Some have quite a bit, others very little. Establishing the county or area they’re focusing on can help identify where you need to refer. At the very least you can recommend a genealogical or historical society in the county of interest.

3. Where have you already searched?
This is important in establishing whether you have a novice in front of you or someone who is well beyond your expertise. In addition, you don’t want to reinvent the wheel, that is, show them sources that they have already searched.

If the customer is beginning or looking for a place to start your best bet are census records. U.S. Census enumerations are easily available to anyone in the state on HeritageQuest. HeritageQuest can be accessed through most county library systems or via Sailor. You may also be able to find census records online through Ancestry Library Edition. Ancestry is usually only available within the library, so check your system’s database list.

However, the latest census enumerations are from 1930. What if you need something later?

At SLRC, we have done a lot of work with finding aids and how-to and subject guides for genealogy. The best starting point for Maryland genealogy is Starting Your Own Genealogical Research, which is part of the Genealogy subject guide produced by the Maryland Department at SLRC. Don’t forget to search the catalog at SLRC for the type of record. You only need type in the keyword (e.g., death, for death notices), county (e.g., Frederick) and limit the library to Maryland Department. If you find something, contact the department to have them check the source and get you the information if appropriate.

If the customer, or you, still needs assistance contact the Maryland Department at SLRC.

A student approaches the reference desk needing to research a specific country. What are some good resources I can use to help them?

Let’s make sure we get off on the right track by using our model reference behaviors to determine the specific type of information our customer wants. Is our customer a young student looking for basic geographic and political information including a picture of the country’s flag? Is it an older student trying to find out about a country’s history, culture, and customs? Or is our customer someone planning a visit to a particular country?

The World Book Encyclopedia is a great place to start our research whether we’re using the print or electronic version. The articles are well-organized, clearly written, and offer maps and illustrations. The following websites are particularly useful for general information about specific countries:

• CIA World Factbook
• Country Studies – Federal Research Division, Library of Congress
• InfoPlease – Countries of the World
• Portals to the World from the Library of Congress
• U.S. Department of State Background Notes

Have you ever had a request from a student for an outline map of some area? Try Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Education Place: Outline Maps resource.

Sometimes students will come to the library searching for information on culture and customs. Greenwood Press publishes several series of books that are perfect for this type of question. Some examples of these series with titles on individual countries are Culture and Customs of Africa, Culture and Customs of Asia, Culture and Customs of Europe, and Culture and Customs of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Another useful source for this type of information is a set entitled Culturgrams: the Nations around Us. Some libraries may have access to the electronic version of this wonderful resource.

Interested in a Web source that explores the culture and etiquette of a specific country? Try Kwintessential’s Global Guide to Culture, Customs and Etiquette.

Older students may be searching for in-depth sources of statistics. Here are some Web possibilities:

• NationMaster
• University of Michigan Statistical Resources on the Web: Foreign Government Data Sources

Is your customer looking for material on foreign aid? Try our How to Find Information on Foreign Aid How-to Guide.

Customers interested in foreign travel will find a number of the above-named websites useful. They may also benefit from the following:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Travelers’ Health
• Travel.State.Gov – International Travel for U.S. Citizens

I have a lot of customers that need help with using the computer. Are there any good resources online that can help them learn how to use a computer?

Many Maryland libraries offer classes to assist customers in using computers. Librarians can make sure to let people know details about the classes and encourage them to sign up or show up, depending on your system’s arrangement.

For some patrons, particularly those who have never used computers and for whom it may have taken some nerve to come to the desk and tell you that they would like to learn something today, getting them started immediately is important. On the other hand, in many cases you may be the only librarian on the desk and your time is limited.

For customers that have never used computers there is a New User Tutorial that you can show them to get them started. If you open the site for them and show them the enter key, they most likely will be able to work through teaching themselves basic clicking, scrolling and introductory features.

Once they have grown comfortable using the mouse, they may vary in what they would like to learn.

Keyboard Tutorial will teach customers keyboard basics and about the various keys

A lot of people come to the library in order to access the Internet. To familiarize people with the basic terminology, the Basic Guide to the Internet is a good place to start, but some users might want to skip this page if they are not interested in the vocabulary of the web.

For libraries who offer the Internet Explorer (IE) browser, an IE Tutorial can provide information on how to use IE, although some of the icons are somewhat different from those currently used.

Many customers need help opening an email account. Consider whether the new computer user needs to spend the lengthy time creating an email account as it is a one-time activity. If it fits your institution’s policies, you may be able to help them by creating the account quickly at your reference desk. For customers trying to apply for jobs who find that they need an email address, consider an easy logon (maybe first initial, last name and street address number), easy password that they will remember (family member’s name or their birthday numerically) and quickly read a few of the question choices. If you are not able to assist an individual, the Enoch Pratt Free Library's How to Get an Email Account guide should help them

Customers may also be interested in writing a letter, completing a resume or creating some other document. In order to do this, many patrons will use Microsoft Word. The Word 2003 Tutorial is a good place to get started.

Tips for Excellent Customer Service to Teens

Smile and say hello to every teen that enters your department – even if they’re listening to headphones or walking with their heads down. Noticing teens in a positive way makes them feel more comfortable, and it also makes them more aware of their surroundings.

Ask repeat teen customers their names and remember them. Teens spend much of their time feeling alienated. If you call them by name they will feel like they belong. This will make them more comfortable approaching you with questions and will positively affect their behavior.

Be sure you understand the question. Teens often mumble and may use hip slang that you might not get. Instead of guessing, always apologize for not understanding them and ask them to restate their question more slowly and clearly.

Learn at least the basics of whichever social networking site is the most popular at your library. If you can’t answer a simple question about MySpace, some teens will lose faith in your ability to answer questions about anything at all. The best way to learn is to create your own profile. You can make a fake one if you aren’t actually interested in social networking. Don’t know where to begin? Ask a coworker or a teen with whom you have good rapport. Most sites also include tutorials.

Read outside your favorite genres. Teens will appreciate it when you’re able to recommend and discuss the kinds of books that appeal to them. A good goal is to read at least the first book in most of the popular teen series that your library owns.

Be respectful at all times. When asking teens to follow rules approach them with the same level of professionalism that you would an adult. Teens can be naturally aggravating, but if you let them know that they get to you they will often become intentionally annoying.

The best approach to improving the behavior of a teen breaking the rules:

• Walk over to where the offender is located. NEVER scold a patron from behind the desk.
  
  
• Calmly and politely ask him to alter his behavior.
  
  
• If the behavior persists, explain to her that this has been her first warning. She will receive one more warning. The third time she breaks the rules she will be asked to leave. Wait for an acknowledgement that she has understood this information.
  
  
• Thank him for calming down.
  
  
• If a teen persists in misbehaving stick to your own policy. Don’t let her sweet talk you into letting it go one more time. You want to be kind and professional, but not a pushover.
  
  
• If you do need to ask a teen to leave or if you call a security guard, continue to act in a calm and professional manner.
  
  
• Don’t hold grudges. Teens can be moody and unpredictable. A teen that gets kicked out one day may stay and help you push in chairs the next – especially if you smile and greet him like yesterday didn’t happen.

Top Ten Tips for Excellent Customer Service to Adults

How can we provide excellent customer service to adults? By relying on the Model Reference Behaviors and developing strong customer service skills, we can keep our customers satisfied – and coming back!

1. Set the tone: Be approachable and friendly. Be a good listener. Put the customer at ease.
   
   
2. Get the facts: Use open questions (those that require more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer). Clarify, probe, and verify to make sure you understand the customer’s information need.
   
   
3. Give the information: Use a search strategy. Keep the customer informed as you search. Make sure the customer understands the answer. Cite the source.
   
   
4. Follow-up: Ask follow-up questions to find out if you’ve answered the question and if there’s anything else the customer needs.
   
   
5. Have a positive attitude: If you feel good about yourself and your job, it will show!
   
   
6. Make your customers feel important and appreciated.
   
   
7. Develop a rapport with your customers: Treat them as you like to be treated when you’re a customer-- as an individual and with respect.
   
   
8. Take ownership: Be accountable and responsible.
   
   
9. Help customers understand your library’s policies and procedures.
   
   
10. Exceed your customers’ expectations by giving value-added service: Go the extra mile. Give them something unexpected.

Top Ten Tips for Excellent Customer Service to Children

1. Provide a warm, welcoming environment.
2. Provide furniture and signage that is child sized and friendly
3. Know your collection.
4. Share your knowledge by showing the child how you found the material they need.
5. Make sure you offer multiple formats for differing learning/interest needs.
6. Treat each interaction with sensitivity; it’s not a one size fits all situation-each child is different.
7. Be honestly interested in their needs; kids can spot a faker a mile away.
8. Be patient with young patrons who are trying to learn how to interact with you; give them your undivided attention.
9. Adults should not take priority over children; adopt a first come, first served approach.
10. Provide services and programs that reflect children’s needs and interests and take into consideration the caregivers who may have to bring the children to the library.
    

I have a customer who is really interested in getting their novel published. How can I help them learn more about the publishing process?

There are a lot of questions to ask customers who wants to be published. Will they want to publish online or in a traditional paper format? Will they want to do desktop publishing and self-marketing or find a publishing company?

Many of the customer’s questions can be answered by going to the How to Get Published guide and the section on novels.

Contacting local organizations for writers is also a good idea. The Maryland Writers Association, for example, has links to helpful blogs and other information. These organizations are also helpful for networking and learning about proofreading and other necessities for readying the manuscript.

Books such as The Writer’s Market, are indexed according to the types of fiction that publishers are interested in. Whether the novel is inspirational, adventure, mystery, or romance, there are publishers interested in seeing manuscripts. Remind the patron to look at the individual entries to make sure they will accept unsolicited manuscripts. The American Directory of Writer’s Guidelines will aid the customer in making sure that his or her manuscript is in the proper format for the publisher.

Learning about the market for the type of fiction marketed is also important. Checking on Amazon.com’s Bestseller’s List or consulting with The American Book Trade Directory might be helpful for this.

Top Ten Reference Interview Dos and Don'ts:Top Ten Reference Interview Dos & Don'ts for Children

Do

1. Treat children and their requests with the same respect as those of adults
2. Use welcoming verbal/body language e.g. eye contact, smile, tell the child your name; speak to every child who comes in and/or let them know that you know they are there (tap on the shoulder/wave as you pass by)
3. Meet the child at his level; this may mean kneeling or sitting on a low stool.
4. Base recommendations on reader’s interests and desires
5. Match children with developmentally appropriate materials, both print and non-print
6. Direct your questions to the child even if an adult is with them.  Ask an easy nonthreatening question to get the child accustomed to speaking for him/herself e.g. “What grade are you in?”
7. Be prepared to both assist AND instruct the child (e.g. show how to use the index)
8. Model good information seeking skills e.g. “If I were looking for this, I would start with the catalog and search for…”  followed by actually doing the search
9. Be patient and prepared for side trips as the child tries to articulate his/her needs.
10. Personalize your follow-up questions e.g. “Please let me know which cookies you decide to bake in that cookbook.”

Don’t

1. Patronize the child.
2. Hide behind the reference desk or computer.
3. Rely solely on the type of open-ended questions that work with adults.  You might have to offer choices such as “Is this too hard, too easy or just right?”
4. Assume the child understands the full context of his/her request.  For example, if it is an assignment, they may have difficulty generating alternative search terms or they may insist on an exact title match, when a similar title would be equally useful.
5. Assume the child knows how to use a table of contents or do an online search, etc.
6. Question the value of a child’s request.  For example, both the “need” for a book on the Civil War for a history assignment and the “desire” for a graphic novel are equally valid.
7. Take it personally if a child rejects your suggestions.  In fact tell them that it won’t hurt your feelings; that you want to find just the right book for them, so you need to know the truth.
8. Make assumptions based on age, gender, race, ethnicity, etc.; an older child may want to read a picture book; a boy may want to cook, etc. 
9. Rush the child; give the child time to present his/her question.  Forcing could easily lead to misinterpretation.
10. Point