92 · SPEC Kit 296
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State Special Collections
University
Libraries
Public Service Manual
Table of Contents
Introduction
Mission Statements
Special Collections
Organizational Overview
Access Policy
Purpose of Public Service
Manual
Training
Library Users
Who do we serve?
Specific User Groups
General Guidelines for Desk
Service
Scheduling
Opening and Closing
Procedures
Reception Desk Duties
Desk Etiquette
Registration of Users
Conducting a Reference
Interview
Question Types
Reference Resources
Retrieval Procedures
Circulation Procedures
Restrictions
Handling Collections
Re-Shelving Procedures
Subject Specialist
Referrals
Reference via Mail, Email
and Phone
Special Requests
Loan Requests
Materials on Hold
Duplication Requests
Annex Requests
Security
Check in Procedures
Check out Procedures
Monitoring Use
Permissable Belongings
RADS and Guest Passes
Patron Challenges
Emergencies
Maintaining Equipment and
Supplies
Equipment
Reference Room Supplies
Statistics
Purpose
Maintaining
Chapter VIII
Outreach
According to the SAA’s A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology
Outreach is the process of identifying and providing services to
constituencies with needs relevant to the repository's mission, especially
underserved groups, and tailoring services to meet those needs. Outreach
activities may include exhibits, workshops, publications, and educational
programs.
The term itself implies “reaching out” to potential patrons who have not come into Special
Collections to use materials, but rather might read one of our publications, visit our
webpage, come in on a tour, or see an exhibit and, as a result, have an informational need
met or be enticed to come in and use our materials.
Some outreach activities we plan and carry out at our own initiative others we do at the
request of the public. Among our audiences are students, faculty members, outside
scholars and researchers, administrative staff, donors and records creators, and the
general community. Effective outreach should be planned in advance and then evaluated
to determine if objectives were met, which, in turn, should influence future outreach
activities. Planning and evaluating programs should take into account: identifying the
purpose and objectives of the activity, the projected audience and their needs, and
methods/criteria to assess whether the objectives were met, as well as the logistics of
actually carrying out the activity.
Tours
Tours of Special Collections are provided on request, either as part of larger general library
tours or as specific tours of Special Collections alone. We do not have a program of
regularly scheduled tours. In essence, a tour differs from other outreach activities in that it
implies showing people around our spaces. Generally, we restrict tour groups to public
areas, but on occasion, we will provide visiting professionals, classes, and others with a
behind the scenes look at how we function. Tours should be arranged through the Head,
Public Services and Outreach, but can be done by any Special Collections faculty or staff
member depending on the nature and interests of the participants (see our policy on
Instruction and Tours for specifics).
Public Areas: Discuss the general mission of Special Collections, the three primary units
(also suggesting visits to the Henisch and Waring rooms), and describe specific things on
permanent display or in temporary exhibits, relating them to collections and research
strengths. Show the reference, reading, and audio-visual rooms (without disturbing
researchers), pointing out how patrons use Special Collections and the basic differences
between research in Special Collections and the rest of the library.
Behind-the-scenes: Point out the vault, map-photo room, and take them downstairs to the
stack and cold storage areas to demonstrate the compact shelving, pointing out the
preservation issues that concern Special Collections with all the different kinds of materials
we have. Also discuss some of the subject strengths by pointing out different collection
areas. Do not take patrons into the work room try to keep interruptions of staff work to a
minimum.
Exhibits
Exhibits are probably our primary means of presenting examples of our collections,
information about the subject matter we cover, and ideas for research that can be done
here. Some items are on exhibit on a permanent or long-term basis, while other exhibits
are temporary, and will only be on display for a few months or less. Generally, we plan our
exhibits in advance to highlight new materials, exceptional collections, subject strengths, or
to mark special events or anniversaries. We often receive requests from other parts of the
university or even from outside groups to mount special exhibits here. We can only
occasionally accommodate such requests however, that decision is generally made based
on time available to curate the exhibit and availability of cases. The Exhibits Committee
coordinates the schedule for exhibits in the main exhibit hall.
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State Special Collections
University
Libraries
Public Service Manual
Table of Contents
Introduction
Mission Statements
Special Collections
Organizational Overview
Access Policy
Purpose of Public Service
Manual
Training
Library Users
Who do we serve?
Specific User Groups
General Guidelines for Desk
Service
Scheduling
Opening and Closing
Procedures
Reception Desk Duties
Desk Etiquette
Registration of Users
Conducting a Reference
Interview
Question Types
Reference Resources
Retrieval Procedures
Circulation Procedures
Restrictions
Handling Collections
Re-Shelving Procedures
Subject Specialist
Referrals
Reference via Mail, Email
and Phone
Special Requests
Loan Requests
Materials on Hold
Duplication Requests
Annex Requests
Security
Check in Procedures
Check out Procedures
Monitoring Use
Permissable Belongings
RADS and Guest Passes
Patron Challenges
Emergencies
Maintaining Equipment and
Supplies
Equipment
Reference Room Supplies
Statistics
Purpose
Maintaining
Chapter VIII
Outreach
According to the SAA’s A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology
Outreach is the process of identifying and providing services to
constituencies with needs relevant to the repository's mission, especially
underserved groups, and tailoring services to meet those needs. Outreach
activities may include exhibits, workshops, publications, and educational
programs.
The term itself implies “reaching out” to potential patrons who have not come into Special
Collections to use materials, but rather might read one of our publications, visit our
webpage, come in on a tour, or see an exhibit and, as a result, have an informational need
met or be enticed to come in and use our materials.
Some outreach activities we plan and carry out at our own initiative others we do at the
request of the public. Among our audiences are students, faculty members, outside
scholars and researchers, administrative staff, donors and records creators, and the
general community. Effective outreach should be planned in advance and then evaluated
to determine if objectives were met, which, in turn, should influence future outreach
activities. Planning and evaluating programs should take into account: identifying the
purpose and objectives of the activity, the projected audience and their needs, and
methods/criteria to assess whether the objectives were met, as well as the logistics of
actually carrying out the activity.
Tours
Tours of Special Collections are provided on request, either as part of larger general library
tours or as specific tours of Special Collections alone. We do not have a program of
regularly scheduled tours. In essence, a tour differs from other outreach activities in that it
implies showing people around our spaces. Generally, we restrict tour groups to public
areas, but on occasion, we will provide visiting professionals, classes, and others with a
behind the scenes look at how we function. Tours should be arranged through the Head,
Public Services and Outreach, but can be done by any Special Collections faculty or staff
member depending on the nature and interests of the participants (see our policy on
Instruction and Tours for specifics).
Public Areas: Discuss the general mission of Special Collections, the three primary units
(also suggesting visits to the Henisch and Waring rooms), and describe specific things on
permanent display or in temporary exhibits, relating them to collections and research
strengths. Show the reference, reading, and audio-visual rooms (without disturbing
researchers), pointing out how patrons use Special Collections and the basic differences
between research in Special Collections and the rest of the library.
Behind-the-scenes: Point out the vault, map-photo room, and take them downstairs to the
stack and cold storage areas to demonstrate the compact shelving, pointing out the
preservation issues that concern Special Collections with all the different kinds of materials
we have. Also discuss some of the subject strengths by pointing out different collection
areas. Do not take patrons into the work room try to keep interruptions of staff work to a
minimum.
Exhibits
Exhibits are probably our primary means of presenting examples of our collections,
information about the subject matter we cover, and ideas for research that can be done
here. Some items are on exhibit on a permanent or long-term basis, while other exhibits
are temporary, and will only be on display for a few months or less. Generally, we plan our
exhibits in advance to highlight new materials, exceptional collections, subject strengths, or
to mark special events or anniversaries. We often receive requests from other parts of the
university or even from outside groups to mount special exhibits here. We can only
occasionally accommodate such requests however, that decision is generally made based
on time available to curate the exhibit and availability of cases. The Exhibits Committee
coordinates the schedule for exhibits in the main exhibit hall.
