“How many librarians does it take to change a light bulb? I don’t know, but can I look it up for you?!”

What I love about this joke is, of course, how true it is. I actually prefer telling this joke verbally so I can display the proper amount of excitement librarians feel when asked a question. Just try asking us a reference question and see how we pounce. I dare you to try and take back a question after you asked it. I know many librarians who routinely continue looking through reference sources after a patron has left.

But a blog post by Kate Sheehan calls us out for something I know we all do. It’s the “Yes, but…” response.

From Kate:

“I’m looking for a book about [insert recent issue that isn’t well-covered by books just yet]”

“Well, you might find there’s more information in articles. Let me show you our online resources for articles.”

“I was hoping for a book.”

“Yes, but… you’ll likely find better information in articles.”

Oops. “Yes, but…” can actually sound an awful lot like “No.” More often than not, we do this with the best of intentions. We are trying to provide our patrons with the most accurate and complete information out there, even if it’s not what they asked for.

From Kate here’s perhaps a better way to phrase a response:

“I’m looking for a book about [insert recent issue that isn’t well-covered by books just yet]”

“Yes, and… our online resources will have articles that cover the most current developments.”

This way our patrons know we heard their request and that we can help them. By saying “Yes, and…” we connect them with new library resources and services. Thanks for the great observation, Kate! Come to any island library and see how we do.