Preface ix
Organization x
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction: Contexts of Customer Service for Young Adults 1
Pervasive Social Myths 2
Developmental Characteristics 4
Customer Service Defined 5
References 6
Sources 7
Prelude: The Moment of Truth Rap 9
Chapter 1: Customer Service in the School Library Media Center 15
References 18
Chapter 2: Library Heaven 19
The Heavenly Librarian, or What’s a Librarian to Do? 21
Action Plan #1: Job Description/Job Practice 22
Customer Service in Schools: Short and Shorter 25
Librarians Serve Customers 30
Reference Service in the School Library Media Center 31
Additional/Traditional Services 33
Librarians Create and Manage the Environment for
Customer Service 34
Action Plan #2: Role Playing 36
Observation 37
Other Considerations 38
Appearance 38
Traffic Patterns 40
Siting Collections 41
Furniture 42
Signage 42
Bulletin boards and other displays 43
Librarians Develop, Maintain, and Circulate the Collection
for Customers 44
Administrative Support 47
Action Plan #3: Bosses 47
Time 49
References 50
Chapter 3: Library Support Staff 53
Action Plan #4: Sample and Survey 55
Support Staff Evaluation and Staff Development 57
Action Plan #5: Training 58
Roles: We Are Here to Help 61
Talk the Talk 63
Supervision 70
References 71
Chapter 4: Services to Students 73
Library Policy and Library Customers: Freedom vs. Control 73
Special Populations Mean Special Opportunities for Service 77
Transience 80
Reference 82
Chapter 5: Evaluating Customer Service 83
Risks and Revelations: Good News is Great to Hear… 84
…But Sometimes the News is Bad 84
A Simple South East Survey 88
Action Plan #6: Survey Your Customers 90
Conclusion 91
References 93
Chapter 6: Setting the Stage for Public Library Young
Adult Service 95
References 98
Chapter 7: Creating Raving Fans 101
Developing a Vision 102
The YALSA Vision 102
The Satisfaction Vision 104
The Connections Vision 104
The Cool Libraries Vision 109
The Planning for Results Vision 110
Identifying the Customer 116
YA Needs 118
YA Wants 118
Action Plan #7: Assess the Needs 119
Acton Plan #8: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 121
Delivering Plus One Percent More 121
Action Plan #9: The Menu 124
References 124
Chapter 8: Lessons from the Mall 127
Teens and the Internet 127
Reaching the Teen Market 131
References 137
Chapter 9: Twenty Steps to Customer Service Success 139
Reference 144
Chapter 10: Listen to Your Customers: Buy More Magazines 145
References 161
Chapter 11: Netting Pathfinders with the Big6™ 163
Transforming Assignments 165
Creating Web Pages 167
Everybody Wins 170
Reference 170
Chapter 12: YA Customer Service Matters! 171
References 174
Index 175
About the Authors 181
