Facilitators: Ian McCallum and Sherrey Quinn

1. Defence Library ServiceInformation Request Interview Workshop – an Evidence- based ApproachADFA, 9 June 2011 Facilitators: Ian McCallum and Sherrey Quinn info@librariesalive.com.au www.librariesalive.com.au

2. Awareness of policy framework Consistent high quality service Consistent performance from person to person Disciplined follow-up and referral Sensitivity to confidentiality Ongoing refinement of performance Contribute to perceptions of library value Workshop objectives

3. Policy framework • DLS Handling Information and Research Requests Procedure • DLS Customer Education Procedure • DLS Performance Reporting Procedure

4. The ELICIT Model Establish rapport Listen Inquire Check, clarify Identify the product Take responsibility

5. The ELICIT Model Establish rapport • Welcoming demeanour • The way we use our bodies • The way we use interpersonal space • How we say things • The way we time our verbal exchanges • How we look

6. The ELICIT Model Listen • Really listen; don’t pretend • Let the client know you are listening • Allow time for your questions to be answered; silence is OK • Listen, especially, for what is important to the client • Restate and check understanding • Don’t interrupt

7. The ELICIT Model Inquire • What does the client really want to know? • How does the client plan to use the information? • What level of detail and/or technical specialisation? • Use open questions

8. The ELICIT Model Check, Clarify • Try to make sense • Check for work already done • Paraphrase • Seek confirmation • If necessary, keep asking questions

9. The ELICIT Model Identify the product • Quantity – how much is enough? • What formats are preferred? Print? Email? Phone? Verbally? • What reading level? • Deadline: when is the information required?

10. The ELICIT Model Take responsibility • Training opportunity? • Manage client expectations • Establish parameters • Give information – explain the process, how the request will be handled • Consider authority, confidentiality, impartiality, privacy • Take responsibility for ensuring delivery, and for following-up

11. How to wreck the reference interview • Don’t acknowledge the client; avoid eye contact; look very busy with the work on your desk • Don’t listen to the client; talk a lot • Jump to specific conclusions • Interrupt, especially when inappropriate • Make assumptions – the earlier the better • Don’t follow-up

12. Clients’ Views of Helpful Behaviour (face-to-face interview) • Made eye contact/smiled/nodded/moved out from behind the desk • Was friendly and approachable • Took the initiative by asking me if I needed help • Was interested in my question; Accepted my question as important • Responded to my initial request by asking ‘What do you want to know about X?’ • Asked questions that helped me clarify in my own mind what information I was after • Included me as a partner in the search and seemed interested in my suggestions • Didn’t just point or give directions, but took me to the computer/reference tools/shelves and made sure the answer was there

13. Clients’ Views of Helpful Behaviour (face-to-face interview) • Pulled out books for me to look at while she checked something else • Explained what she was doing/where she was going/what she expected me to do • Left me with some leads and didn’t close off the search • Was very knowledgeable about sources of information; introduced me to some useful starting points for my search • Didn’t get discouraged easily; was persistent • Didn’t overwhelm me with too much information • Invited me to come back if I didn’t find an answer • Checked that I had found the information I was looking for

14. Clients’ Views of Helpful Behaviour (phone and email) • Addressed me personally, acknowledging me and my question • Wrote in the first person and gave me her name • Used a friendly and enthusiastic tone • Asked me more about my question to ensure that she was on the right track for finding relevant information • Explained to me what she was going to do • Didn’t assume I could come in to the library to use the materials there • Didn’t just send me a list of URLs – gave me the names and authority for each one

15. Clients’ Views of Helpful Behaviour (phone and email) • Checked that the resources she sent were relevant, and told me where to look on each site she referred me to • Used a clear, concise writing style that was casual in tone, but without any spelling or grammatical errors • Asked me to get in touch again if the information sent was not helpful, or if I needed more information on the topic • Ended with a cheerful sign-off and gave name, phone number and email address

16. Clients’ Views of Unhelpful Behaviour • The staff member didn’t smile/nod/look at me when I approached the desk • Used the desk and the computer as a barrier • Didn’t listen. Cut me off when I tried to explain • Made assumptions about what I wanted and why I wanted it • Treated my question as unimportant or annoying. Made me feel I was wasting the valuable time of library staff • Took a judgmental stance toward the content of the material I was looking for • Didn’t ask me anything about my question. Didn’t find out why I needed the information and ended up giving information that was too general • Didn’t try to understand my question but just fitted it into her frame of reference

17. Clients’ Views of Unhelpful Behaviour • Without speaking, began typing on the keyboard • Looked up something on the computer, wrote down a number, and said, ‘Try this’, but didn’t give me a subject, a title or an author’s name • Didn’t want to move out from behind the desk to help me find material • Made me feel I shouldn’t expect to get an answer to my question, that it was too technical, or that there were no reliable answers • Made me feel that it was not her job to answer questions that involved resources outside her library • Made me feel stupid • Said, ‘I suppose you’ve done the obvious and tried X?’

18. Clients’ Views of Unhelpful Behaviour • Didn’t let me see what she was doing on her computer, so I couldn’t tell how to do it myself next time • Didn’t explain what she was doing and left me wondering if I should follow her or wait • Didn’t explain how to use the systems she was using • Made me feel left out of the process – she just took over • Just said, ‘No, we don’t have it’, and made no further suggestions about what to do • Seemed impatient by my question and anxious to get rid of me • Made no effort to follow-up or ensure that I had found what I was looking for • Seemed more interested in time management than helping me find an answer

19. Telephone Interview Skills • Develop a pleasant speaking voice. How do you sound? • Talk to the caller straight away • Identify yourself; indicate willingness • Volunteer assistance; don’t wait to be asked • Acknowledge the request – restate • Use minimal encouragers; Mmm, Yes, Go on • Listen; don’t interrupt • Clarify the question; use open questions

20. Telephone Interview Skills • Verify; pause before acting • Write it down; check details • Explain. Remember, you’re invisible • Refer; when you can’t answer the question yourself • Call back; don’t waste the client’s time • Identify the caller accurately • Follow-up; quality assurance • Indicate the source of the answer (teach clients about sources) • Keep a record – there may be subsequent questions

21. Takeaways • Demeanour is very important • Every client interaction is an opportunity for both parties to learn from each other • Working together: you are not alone • Client background must be understood and expectations managed • Clarifying the query is fundamental for a successful outcome • Know when to refer to someone else • Follow-up, ask for feedback • Forms can be extremely useful – and especially for email queries • Remember the ELICIT model

22. Contact details: (02) 6257 9177info@librariesalive.com.au