Customer Service
As our profession contemplates the future of libraries, a recurring theme surfaces: that the public trust and faith in the institution is not so much about information retrieval or document management as it is about the intangibles—the relationships, the place, the environment for learning. It is top-notch customer service that will sustain and grow libraries. Explore here the resources on communication, creating patron-focused spaces, customer service practices and dealing with difficult patrons.
Self-paced courses and webinar recordings on this topic are freely available in the WebJunction Course Catalog.
Most Recently Added
Who Are We Designing for and Why? Service Design Techniques for Responsive Libraries
Publish Date: News / 19 November 2020
The first in a two-part webinar series, this session will introduce design principles that can be used to enhance and improve future library services.
Cultivating Protective Factors for Safe Libraries and Resilient Communities
Publish Date: Webinar / 5 March 2020
Join this webinar to explore the ways the library functions as a "protective factor" and how to build community resilience through more compassionate and inclusive policies and practices.
Library as a Social Assistance Office
Publish Date: News / 20 February 2020
With a determined stride and a big smile, Ida Abolins walks over to the writing desk at the window of the library in San Francisco and asks a young man bending over a pile of paper, "How are you doing?"
Overlooking the lavish City...
Doing the Work Externally and Internally: Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Publish Date: Webinar / 5 December 2019
This webinar highlights the work of Richland Library staff as they work, both externally and internally, to improve dialogue and understanding on topics of race, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Interesting Patron Questions
Publish Date: News / 25 November 2019
The reference desk of a library is truly one of the most interesting of places. Through an initial poll in 2015, we asked WebJunction members to share the most interesting patron questions they had received, and the response was amazing! We're revisi...
Prioritizing Accessibility and Disability Inclusion at Your Library
Publish Date: News / 18 July 2019
Putting a focus on accessibility helps create a library that can be enjoyed by more people and can connect more people to the information and resources they need. Opportunities to make libraries more accessible can include decisions about your collec...
Customer Service in Libraries: Meeting Evolving Needs
Publish Date: News / 29 May 2019
Customer service is one of the most consistently popular topics on WebJunction. From attendees at live webinars to users of the content in our Course Catalog, it is clear that customer service is on the minds of library staff. The interest extends be...
Community Engagement: Redefining the Library as Town Square
Publish Date: News / 15 May 2019
Libraries are evolving, leaning outside of our walls, connecting with our communities in new and powerful ways. Defining our "why" requires understanding how to shift our focus from books to people. Our purpose is to support people and thei...
Blessing Box: Take What You Need, Leave What You Can
Publish Date: News / 28 March 2019
This is the second article in a series published in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL), highlighting innovation shared on ARSL's amazing and active Listserv.
ARSL member Jennifer Johnson-Spence...
Strategic Planning in a Deeply Weird World: The Flexible Roadmap Field Guide Approach
Publish Date: Webinar / 26 March 2019
Join us to learn about Salt Lake City Public Library's new ground-breaking approach to strategic planning, focused on human-centered service design.
