Welcome to being a Peer Research Consultant!
... Now what IS a PRC?
As you likely noted during the interview process, this position is much more in-depth and professional than many student jobs!
While our Access / Circulation students will be operating the Information Desk, your job is to assist patrons / customers with research questions. The goal is that the Reference Librarians will handle questions from graduates and faculty, but you will be the first people our students go to for assistance on their research questions!
The goal of this guide is to provide you with readings and training exercises that will help you succeed. Please note that you will be asked to wait for feedback after some assignments before proceeding. You will be working on this guide while on the desk, and the on-call librarian nearby in the Consult Room.
Further Information about assisting patrons:
Your natural inclination will be wanting to assist patrons that come up with questions, especially as you begin some of the following assignments. This can be harmful to their research process if you don't have all the tools needed yet!
Your primary responsibility is to assist undergraduate students with research questions.
Your guidelines in the beginning are as follow:
As you complete your Reference Interview assignments:
As you work on the librarian questions:
IN ALL CASES
We record each question we're asked. Please bookmark Libstats and get the login information and instructions from Karlene.
Karlene Clark - Coordinator, Peer Research Consultant Reference Services Librarian
Kristen Borysewicz - Research Skills Instruction Coordinator, Reference Librarian
Danielle Masursky - Education and Human Development Librarian
Zarah-Mae - Peer Research Consultant
Piper - Peer Research Consultant
Jadyn - Peer Research Consultant
Ethan - Peer Research Consultant
Claire - Peer Research Consultant
Bria - Peer Research Consultant
The American Library Association (ALA) created several documents to assist librarians. These can also be used to help a PRC determine the right course of action and behavior.
RUSA is the Reference and User Services Association, under ALA.