Reference Service in Person 63are interrupting you. Try to work as a team, and help each other out. As the
old adage says, “Two heads are better than one.”
The reference desk might be compared to a concierge desk in a hotel. The
concierge/librarian knows just where to look and exactly who to call when
helping guests/patrons. It may also be compared to a reception desk, particu-
larly if it is located near the library’s main entrance. In either example, the
behavior of the librarian at the reference desk will affect a patron’s perception
of the whole library, and his or her impression of it as a place where you will
(or will not) find help. An attentive reference librarian can make a patron feel
welcome, assure them that there is someone who can help, and then provide
that help in a friendly and professional manner. As Dave Tyckoson so elo-
quently put it, “The reference librarian is the library’s human face.”