Formal Learning Support

Goals and objectives

Goal 9. Library users will be able to get answers to their questions on a broad array of topics.

• The number of reference questions answered by the Harnett County Library System staff will increase by 25 per cent each year for the next five years.

• The number of users of electronic resources in a typical week by library users will increase by 5 per cent each year for the next five years.

• By 2005/2006, at least 85% of the people who use the library to get answers to their questions will indicate on a survey that they received the information needed.

Selected activities

• The library staff will accept reference questions by telephone and in person during all hours of service.
• The library staff will continue to observe a policy of responding to all requests within 24 hours.
• The reference librarian (with recommendations from the library staff) will spend approximately $5000 each year on reference books and materials.
• The library staff will evaluate the library’s collection needs annually so that funds are allocated to areas of changing need.
• The library staff will continue to use the Community Information Module of the automated library system to maintain and annually update the database of community resources.
• The professional staff will provide research guidance to the rest of the staff as well as the public, using catalogs, indexes, specialized encyclopedias, on-line databases, NC LIVE, etc.
• The professional staff will use the OCLC interlibrary loan network to provide books and magazine articles from other libraries.
• The reference librarian will prepare and update general information pathfinders annually.
• The library staff will promote the use of NC LIVE resources.