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Information & Referral ServicesPatrons often have needs that books alone will not meet.I & R ServicesPatrons sometimes need the services of groups or agencies -- for social or health problems, for example. Successful search strategies may include providing the patron with information about the group or agency that can provide needed assistance. Helping put patrons in contact with the best agency for their needs is the role of "Information and Referral" or "I&R." Libraries often use (or even compile) directories of social service agencies, indexed by category or accessible with keywords online. Library InvolvementConsider referring patrons to agencies and groups as part of your overall answer to a question. A complex need (for example, information for a patron whose family member has sustained a serious head injury) may be met by a combination of things:
Finding the right information for library users may require referral to non-library sources! Major Point: Patrons often have needs that books alone will not meet. They need the services of special groups or agencies.
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I & R services match patron needs with agencies that can provide assistance. Does your library have a list of helpful agencies, a directory, or a database?
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