Remember that you are answering a question for all campuses. (Unless otherwise stipulated in a Private Answer.)
Give a complete answer. Do not assume that the questioner knows how to access databases, or even where to find them. You need to give instructions on how to locate resources AND give them links to those resources.
How do we handle questions that need a reference interview? If you need back and forth use your regular e-mail, then update the question in ASK US at the end. Questions with reference interviews should never be Public.
When you answer a Ready Reference question (e.g. what is the capital of MI), provide the source/database for how to find the answer, not the answer. From time to time (especially with text messaging) it will make more sense to give the answer to a question rather than tell the student how to get the answer. In this case you should still provide the source.
Privacy policy. Do not include personal information in FAQ public answers.
Spelling and Grammar: Please proof your answers before you post. If you see an error on another answer, please correct it.
Questions answered first-come-first-served basis. Acknowledge questions that will take more time before answering questions that will be very quick. When working in the morning, answer questions coming in live before answering"old" questions from the night before.
If you are scheduled to work a shift but for some reason you can't, first see if there is someone else in your library who can cover the hours. If that is out of the question, contact Patrick.
If there are a lot of questions and need help, contact Patrick.
Comments: In general it is OK to approve or delete comments if you are absolutely sure you know what you are doing and if you are willing and able to respond to any follow up questions (implied or stated) that are in the comment.
When a non-Baker person asks a question, answer the question if time permits.
Please select the Topic that BEST describes the question/answer. No more than two Topics, per question. If there is a Topic you feel would be useful, please e-mail your suggestion to one of the Editors.
Decipher what the user is really asking you. Often the user is unclear in his or her request. Do your best to cover all the angles of the question as respectfully as you can.
Restate the question for the user. It can be as simple as editing the template to read, “If you are looking for information on (and fill in the blank with what they asked about)”. It can be more detailed by writing, “Thank you for your question about how sharks sleep.” This step sets the expectations for the user and helps you to define what, exactly, you are trying to answer.
Do not assume the user knows anything at all about libraries, library services, or their topic. In order to best serve our users, we should answer each question so that it will be useful to the least experienced user. This means that you should walk the user through your answer. Don’t just tell them to use X database; instead explain how to get to the database and what keywords they should search when there.
Hyperlink. You should always hyperlink to any website, database, research guide, and so on that you are directing your user to use. This is also why using the template as a starting place is much easier, as many of the hyperlinks you need are already done.
Give the user options. A user may ask for a book on a topic, but you should also give them suggestions for databases, research guides, or websites when it is appropriate. Very few questions cannot be enhanced with additional resources.
Teach don’t tell. We do not do homework for our in-person students; we teach them how to do their own homework. It is part of the mission of the library. The mission still holds true for virtual reference. Even if the question is a simple one, “What is 7 X 3?”, the correct answer would give the student several suggestions on where to find the answer (a math website, a calculator) and information on math tutoring at his or her campus.
Don’t forget to edit the question. The majority of questions submitted to Ask Us have some kind of error in the question from spelling to punctuation to grammar. Please fix all answered questions.
Take your time. To craft a really good answer takes more than a few minutes. Do not rush through your answer. Keep in mind that answering a reference question via Ask Us will take significantly longer than answering an in-person reference question. Testing your keywords in different databases, creating links, proofreading, etc. may mean that a question could take 15-30 minutes, or even longer, to answer.
Test your suggestions. Please only suggest keywords, catalogues, databases, websites, and other resources that you have tested and know work. Don’t just assume that a database will have something on the topic, know that it will.
Be clear and concise in your answer. Yes, a good answer walks a user through the process; however, a good answer also is clearly written and concise. Bullet points in answers are good. Several long paragraphs are generally not good. Students find answers easier to understand when the answers are broken up visually.
Thank the user and give them the link to the campus librarians at the end of every question. You can copy this directly from the template, or type it yourself.
Use student-friendly terminology. As librarians we may be tempted to use librarian-speak when answering questions, try to avoid this whenever possible. Students do not know what the OPAC is or what federated searching is. Keep your audience in mind when answering questions.
To locate the template, enter 20291 into the Copy and Existing Answer Question ID field.