Foley Library User Services Training Guide

Staffing the Service Desk as a PRA & Types of Questions

A primary function of the PRA job is staffing the service desk, which will look similar  to the work you are already doing as a circulation assistant.

Since PRAs have already mastered Circulation tasks, we will still expect PRAs to assist with Circulation-related duties such as greeting patrons and staying alert and approachable to anyone who may need help. However, they may also be asked to staff the chat and/or the “Research Assistance” station at the service desk (the station that faces the back windows).

What kinds of questions are PRAs expected to answer?

As a research advisor, you may be asked a number of questions related to “ready reference” (i.e., “Where can I find books in the library on gender studies?”) as well as more specific research questions (i.e., “Can you help me find articles related to gender and income?”). 

Here are some examples of questions that we will equip you to answer on your own: 

• Directional questions (“Where is iDD?”; “Where can I find the DVDs?”) 
• Information questions (“How late is the library open tonight?”’ “What year was College Hall built?”) 
• Ready Reference questions (“How do I narrow a search to peer-reviewed articles?”; “Which database is the best one to use for Literary Criticism?”) 

We will also equip you to understand the limits of your own knowledge and ability to help patrons. When you reach the limits of what you know, it is very important to refer the patron to a person who can help them with their question. We will discuss referring questions in more detail in the "Ready Reference" section of this training.

What do I need to know to be able to answer questions from patrons?

You are not going to know everything there is to know about the library, our catalog, and databases, but we do want to equip you to be able to find the information you need to help you answer questions at the desk.  

First of all, the User Services Training LibGuide that you are reading right now has tons of information.  

There is also a Research Guide set up for each major and area of study. Take a minute now to find the research guide for your major.  

We also expect all PRAs and Leads to attend our mandatory training with the librarians each fall (date to be determined each fall).  

Lastly, your supervisors are always available to help talk you through different questions and find the best solutions.