The Library provides qualified, professional, customer-focused staff to meet the information needs of the community in an accurate and efficient manner. Staff provide reference assistance to any patron requesting it, regardless of residency and requests for reference assistance are accepted in person, by phone, through the mail, and digitally.
The goal of reference service is to provide unbiased information services to library patrons without regard to age, race, creed, sex, or disability. All questions will be given equal consideration and every effort will be made to answer questions as accurately and completely as possible within a reasonable time frame. Patrons will be treated with respect and courtesy, and the confidentiality of patron questions will be maintained.
Library staff does not give medical, legal, copyright, financial or tax advice. Because no two reference questions are alike, staff will allow as much time as possible for reference assistance. Answering patrons’ questions takes priority over all other staff assignments.
To provide the most accurate and authoritative answers possible, library staff shall avoid personal opinions, philosophy, or evaluations. (The exception being Reader’s Advisory services, which by nature, are personal suggestions.) Rather, staff should rely upon information obtained from reputable sources. The source of an answer should always be cited.
The Addison Public Library subscribes to the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics.