Welcome!

This course is designed for members of the library community who do not have formal library training. It will help you learn the art of the reference interview. Later courses will give you information about basic reference sources and ethical issues to consider in providing reference service.

This course is divided into four sections. Each section has one or more web pages, plus a self-evaluation test. You will typically move ahead in the course by correctly answering the last question on each self-evaluation. The course takes approximately one and one-half hours to complete. If you have stopped working on the course and wish to re-enter at a section, you may do so by clicking on the objective for the section in the list below.

At the end of the course is an examination. Idaho library staff members or trustees completing the examination will be eligible to receive a certificate of completion for the course. Send a copy of the final page of the course to the Continuing Education Consultant, Idaho Commission for Libraries, 325 W. State Street, Boise, Idaho 83702, or fax it to (208) 334-4016.

Completion of all Alternative Basic Library Education (ABLE) courses will earn a certificate of completion for the ABLE program. For more information contact the Continuing Education Consultant Team using our online contact form..

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Course Objectives

In this course, you will learn:

  1. The importance of reference
  2. How to make a patron feel comfortable
  3. The techniques for discovering the patrons' real information need
  4. How to check for patron satisfaction

 

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