Success at the Enquiry Desk: Successful Enquiry Answering – Every Time (5th ed.)

Citation

Ogden, L. (2007), "Success at the Enquiry Desk: Successful Enquiry Answering – Every Time (5th ed.)", Library Management, Vol. 28 No. 4/5, pp. 271-272. https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120710744245

Most people have access to search engines today. The challenge for the information professional therefore is to demonstrate expertise when it comes to finding the information their enquirers need. In Success at the Enquiry Desk Tim Buckley Owen, who has had extensive experience in the library and information services field, shows us how to rise to this challenge with his practical step‐by‐step approach. In its revised and expanded fifth edition, the book provides the reader with strategies for adding value to their enquiry‐answering and would make a useful manual for any library service, small or large.

The book is structured around the concept that there are nine steps to successful enquiry answering and provides even the most experienced reference desk professionals with useful tips to refresh their skills and add value to their service, such as: getting started effectively, developing efficient search strategies, accessing the correct amount of information for the job, and how to meet deadlines every time. I would recommend this book even if it was only for the highly useful “the success at the enquiry desk enquiry form”. This makes an excellent guide for planning and delivering query results.

For each step of the process, Owen illustrates his points with practical examples, and structures each chapter with useful “to recap” dot points. This makes it a fantastic resource for all library and information management students who are aiming to work for the first time at the reference desk. He adds a final step, adding value to a library service, by suggesting ways to use completed enquiries to develop services further. Importantly, the book is written with a view to making the most of limited resources which is important to all Library professionals.