For questions about what we count and why, policies, etc., email the Assessment Committee.
Public desk
The main patron contact point of a department or area. In small departments, a faculty or staff member's personal desk may double as the public desk.
Information transaction
An information contact that involves the knowledge, use, recommendations, interpretation, or instruction in the use of one or more information sources by a library staff member. Should take no longer than 20 minutes.
Examples:
You receive a call from your liaison department's library representative asking you to order a specific book.
You get a question from a patron who is looking for information on a topic that is not in your field of specialty. You refer him to the appropriate department or person, who helps the patron find the item.
Both you and the coworker who eventually answers the question, as well as any coworker who refers the patron along the way, should count this as an information transaction.
A patron approaches you while you are working a public desk. In all, he asks four discrete questions, which you answer.
Even though this transaction included four questions, you should only record it once.
A coworker who is taking a Sociology class asks you to help her find articles for a paper on Mississippi prisons.
Your coworker is coming to you as a patron with a question that requires specialized knowledge to answer. This transaction should be recorded like any other information transaction.
A patron comes to your desk to ask, "How do I use this copier?" You go to the copier with the patron and show him how to make copies.
Information consultation
Any information transaction that takes more than 20 minutes. Information consultations can be scheduled or unscheduled.
Unscheduled examples:
A patron asks for help researching healthcare reform. You spend 30 minutes showing him databases, catalog searches, and websites that will help him.
Scheduled examples:
A patron approaches you with a question about database searching. You answer her first few questions, but soon realize that she needs more help than you can provide while working a public desk. You schedule a research consultation for the next day.
The initial session in which you answered a few questions is an information transaction. The research consultation that followed is a scheduled information consultation.
Directional transaction
A transaction in which you direct a patron to a Library facility, resource, or staff member. Requires little or no library training in order to provide a patron with an answer.
Examples:
A patron enters your department and asks for a specific staff member by name. You point her in the direction of the staff member's desk.
A patron asks you where he can find a copier.
Operational transaction
A transaction dealing with how the Library and its resources operate. Requires little or no library training in order to provide a patron with an answer.
Examples:
You receive a call from a patron asking when Mitchell Memorial Library closes tonight.
You show a patron how to log in to the Computer Commons Lab computers.
A patron asks you for the guest wireless password.
Library instruction
Library instruction differs from workshops and presentations in that it is delivered to a specific course/class and requested by an instructor.
Examples:
You present a session on APA citation to a graduate class.
You present a class on MAGNOLIA and databases to a visiting high school English class.
You teach a weekly class, or a weekly library lab embedded in a class.
Record each class session, but only record attendance for the first class session; for all other sessions mark “0” under attendance.
You present a session on information literacy to a History class.
Presentation
Includes all Library-sponsored presentations made to library users in groups of 2 or more, and off-campus presentations that are sponsored by the library or are part of library outreach activities. Does not include presentations of personal research at professional conferences.
Examples:
You travel to Ohio to make a presentation to a Civil War Roundtable about the resources available in the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library.
You present on MAGNOLIA at MegaResource.
Workshop
Includes all Library-sponsored workshops held for library users. Does not include internal training sessions. Workshops that are part of a series should be entered individually (rather than entering one record for the entire series).
Examples:
You teach a workshop series on writing. The series is made up of 6 separate workshop sessions and is open to MSU students, faculty and staff.
Although this is a series of workshops with a single theme, you should record each session separately.
You present a session on APA citation for the staff at The Writing Center.
Tour
Includes tours for any group of 2 or more of any of MSU Libraries or their departments/areas. Does not include tours given to candidates for Library positions.
Examples:
You lead a group of music students on a tour through the Templeton Museum.
