Novice Guide

​What Are User Services?

​Imagine a library. You'll find books, computers, and lots of other resources. But how do you find and use these things? That’s where User Services come in. It's like the friendly face of the library, ready to help you with anything from checking out books to using a computer.

​The Parts of User Services:

  • ​Circulation Services: This is like the checkout counter. It’s where you get and return library materials. The staff here also help with renewing your loans or paying late fees if you returned something late.
  • Reference Services: Have a question? Go here. Whether you need to find a book or need help with research, these are your go-to people.
  • Interlibrary Loan (ILL): Want a book your library doesn’t have? No problem. ILL borrows it from another library.
  • User Education: Libraries often teach you how to use resources effectively. They might show you how to access online databases or evaluate the credibility of sources.
  • Public Programming: Libraries host events like author talks, children’s story hours, or computer classes to bring the community together and learn new things.

​User Experience (UX) – Making the Library Welcoming

​Think of UX as making sure the library is a nice, easy place to be. It’s all about making sure you have a good time and find what you need.

​The Basics of UX:

  • Designing for Users: Libraries do surveys and interviews to see what you need and like. Then, they design their services and spaces around that.
  • Easy to Use: Libraries aim to be accessible to everyone. That means having books in different formats and designing spaces that everyone can navigate easily.
  • Taking Feedback: Good libraries listen. They want to know if something’s not working for you, so they provide ways to tell them.
  • Always Getting Better: Libraries track how well their services are used and constantly try to improve them.

​Going the Extra Mile in User Experience

Making the Library Easy to Navigate:

  • Signs and Guides: Like road signs in the library, these help you know where everything is.
  • Tech-Friendly: Libraries provide strong Wi-Fi and lots of spots to plug in your devices.

Personal Touch:

  • Recommendations: Some libraries have systems that suggest books you might like, based on what you’ve checked out before.
  • Profiles: You might be able to create a profile to track your favourite topics or get alerts for new stuff.

Help Anywhere, Anytime:

  • ​Omnichannel: This is a fancy way of saying the library is there for you, both in person and online.
  • Virtual Help: Even when you’re not in the library, you can get help through chat or email.

​Knowing If We’re Doing It Right

Ask the People:

  • Surveys: Regular check-ins to ask how we’re doing.
  • Focus Groups: Small group discussions to dive deep into what works and what doesn’t.

Watching the Numbers:

  • ​Usage Stats: Tracking what’s popular and what’s not.
  • Testing Services: Trying out new ideas and seeing how they fly with users.

​Behind the Scenes – Training and Talking

Making Staff Even Better:

  • Customer Service Skills: Regular training on how to be even more helpful and nice to you.
  • Knowing All the Things: Staff learn about all the different parts of the library, so they can help you better.

Spreading the Word:

  • Brand and Messages: Making sure everything from posters to websites looks and sounds like ‘the library’.
  • Reaching Out: Talking to the community and partnering with local groups.

​The Rulebook

Clear Rules:

  • Plain Language: Making sure rules are easy to read and understand.
  • Standards: Keeping services top-notch by comparing them to the best out there.

​Standing Up for You

Advocacy:

  • ​Fighting for Your Needs: Making sure the library has what you need and that it’s a fair place for everyone.
  • Diverse and Inclusive: Making sure the library reflects everyone in the community.
​This guide gives you a quick tour of what user services and experience are all about in the library world. It's like the library's commitment to ensuring you not only get the book or information you need but that you enjoy every step of the process.