The Reference Department takes the comfort and well being if its student employees very seriously. Student employees are under no obligation to continue a transaction where the patron makes them feel uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Here are a few ways to hand the transaction off to a Reference staff member:

• If you are at the desk with a librarian, send an instant message to the librarian using the librarh3lp chat client. Just type "Help", let the librarian know that he or she has a chat (as you would normally do when a chat comes in), and the librarian should stop what they are doing and immediately come to your assistance. 

• You may verbally ask the librarian to help you, and then take the opportunity to duck into the back or assist another patron. 

•  If you are at the desk by yourself, ring the bell. The librarian that responds should check in with you. 

•  Just walk away. You may provide a reason "I need something from the office", or just leave, at your discretion. 

• If you are speaking with a patron on the phone and the patron makes you uncomfortable, place the patron on hold and ask the librarian to take over.

It is inappropriate for patrons to exploit the fact that you are working in a public service capacity in order to further their own ends, and I would like to stress again, that you have no obligation to provide service to a patron that is making you feel uncomfortable or harassing you in any way.

If a particular patron is presenting an ongoing problem for you, let Katy or Daniel know and we will discuss with you further ways of handling the situation. This may include having a library manager talk to the patron, having the patron removed from the library, and/or additional sanctions against the patron.