Professional Behavior Guidelines

Keep in mind all questions are important to the person asking them.

• Provide all patrons with fair and equitable treatment
  
• Be courteous, impartial and non-judgmental
• Respect your patron's privacy
  
• Verify the patron's question before you answer it
• Provide complete, accurate answers
• Provide instruction in the use of resources
• Advise only on the relative merits of sources, not on a course of action
• Follow up with the patron after you have answered the question to make sure you really have answered it

When the library is unable to provide a patron with the needed information, refer either the patron or the question to another agency.

(Adapted from the American Library Association Code of Ethics, adopted June 28, 1995)

Sue Hermans
Central Reference Library Services Coordinator
July 2002