Services The Sarasota County Library System reference service is dedicated to meeting the informational needs of its users and to assist them in the use of Library System resources. The philosophy of the Library System is to provide access to timely, accurate information in a variety of formats. Policies Purpose of the Policy Statement  The purpose of the Reference Policy is: A. To describe the services and resources which are offered by the Library, the extent to which they are provided and to whom and by whom such services are offered. B. To serve as a basis for consistent action on the part of the Staff. Definition of Reference Service Good Reference service involves identifying a person’s information need and proceeding to fulfill it accurately, efficiently and pleasantly. Service may take the form of providing: A. Specific information through a search of available resources. B. Assistance in search strategies and in the use of Library resources. C. Guidance in the selection of suitable material. D. Instruction in the use of Library tools such as indexes, catalogs, on-line resources, etc. E. Referrals to resources in other libraries or agencies.  Definition of Library User A user is any individual seeking information or materials from the library. Reference assistance is available to all users. Borrowing privileges are limited to persons with Sarasota County Library System Library cards and holders of Reciprocal Borrower Cards. Any user is welcome to telephone, fax, e-mail, or visit the library. Reference assistance is subject to the limitations described in the Guidelines.  Delivery of Reference Service A. General Guidelines: Staff will: Provide service without the imposition of a value judgement or assessment of the importance of a question. Utilize appropriate sources including print, electronic and microform collections. Searches will be conducted from the library's resources and may extend to outside Agencies. Maintain the users' right to confidentiality in accordance with Florida Statutes and the American Library Association Code of Ethics. Provide guidance on the use of resources in various formats including print and electronic. Provide citations when giving information. B. Guidelines for Methods of Library Access Walk-in assistance will be provided to users who come to any library location in pursuit of information. Staff will respond with an answer, suggested sources or a referral. If information cannot be provided by that library's resources, then the request will be recorded and the search continued as appropriate. An attempt will be made to notify the patron within 24 hours of the progress of the search. Telephone/TDD Assistance will be provided to users who telephone with inquiries. Staff will respond with an answer, suggested sources or a referral. If a trip to the library is necessary, the patron will be informed as to the availability of suitable material. Unanswered questions will be recorded and the search continued as appropriate. Staff will attempt to notify callers within 24 hours of the progress of the search. Correspondence assistance will be provided to users who mail or e-mail questions to the library. Staff will respond with an answer, suggested sources or a referral using the Reference by Mail Service Form. Fax assistance will be provided to users who fax questions to the Library. Staff will respond with an answer, suggested sources or a referral. Answers to questions may be faxed to users provided requests comply with Copyright law (the copy becomes the property of the user, use is for private study, scholarship or research, copyright notice is given). Other access to Reference service through other means, such as but not limited to Collaborative Digital Reference service, will be considered as technology changes. C. Provision of Materials Reference Materials: the library will collect, process, store and retrieve information for its users. Collections will be developed in accordance with the Library's Material Selection Policy with on-going demand, currency and quality being factors. Reference material will not be available for check out but photocopies may be made. Requests for special reference loans should be referred to a Manager or other authorized staff member. Circulating Material: Collections of material suitable to meet the interests of patrons will be maintained. Any user is welcome to access this material, however checkout is limited to library cardholders only. Additions to the collections will be made in accordance with the library's Material Selection Policy. Reserves may be placed on this material by patrons with a valid library card. Each library may limit the number of reserves per call or visit. Photocopying Requests: to provide copied material by mail or fax will be processed in a timely manner. The library will adhere to Copyright Law (Title 17 United States Code). Patrons may be billed for copies at a rate established by the library. Computer Printouts: requests for computer printouts of reference material will follow the same guidelines as photocopying. Other: other means of providing reference material will be considered as technology changes. Limitations of Service Responding to the informational needs of patrons is the goal of library reference service but sometimes other means of obtaining information are more effective and time efficient for both the user and the library. Referrals to other sources of information or agencies may be in the best interest of both parties. Patrons with questions that require an interpretation, calculation, value assessment or extensive research will be informed about the resources available for answering such questions and patrons will be invited to come in to use such resources. Staff is not legally qualified to offer legal, medical, investment, patent or tax advice, however, brief factual answers may be provided in response to requests for information. Patrons will be invited to come in to use appropriate resources and for assistance with extended searches. Patrons desiring bibliographies will be given brief information of appropriate resources and invited to come in to develop extensive bibliographies. Requests for bibliographies to support an area of study or interest from community organizations will be considered individually. Decisions will be based on available staff and resources and on the impact on the community. Patrons may be given brief price and consumer review information from published sources. Patrons will be informed of resources available for their use in appraising or authenticating an item and in obtaining purchase advice.  Duties and Responsibilities To sustain and develop quality reference service Staff will adhere to the following guidelines: Staff will maintain: A. A professional, accessible image and a courteous manner to patrons and staff. B. An in-depth awareness of the resources, services and activities of the library. C. A general awareness of System resources, services and activities. D. Knowledge of current events on local, national and international levels.