"Doing What You Can, With What You Have, Where You Are:" Coping with Circumstances in the Research Room, Part Three

So let's say that you understand the BDC's adjustment in service delivery and that you have thoroughly explored all the BDC's content on the Library's website - and you haven't found what you hoped to find, that you cannot find the answers to the local history questions you have. Now it's time for you to contact the Library system's other reference librarians. The funny thing is: Reference librarians today do precisely what we have done since 1876 - though some of our tools have changed in the interim. 

Reference librarians: 

1. Teach people how to use the library and its resources

2. Answer questions for specific information

3. Recommend good vetted sources and reading materials

4. Promote the library within the community. 

While I am on FMLA and the BDC has no staff per se, the oft-unheralded BCL Reference librarians should be able to assist you with basic and fundamental questions about family history and local history. Each physical library building has at least one ALA degreed librarian on staff. Be sure to ask for one since not everyone who works in a library is a ALA degreed librarian.

Beaufort Branch 843-255-6458

Bluffton Branch 843-255-6503

Hilton Head Island Branch 843-255-6525

Lobeco Branch 843-255-6482

St. Helena Branch 843-255-6487  

Honestly, they won't be able to provide the level of service and institutional knowledge that my two advanced library science degrees, additional graduate level study in African American and American history, my certified archivist credential and 23 year tenure on staff here brings to in-person Research Room customers, but they can help you more than you might expect. But they can't help, if you don't ask. So ask. 

Image: Reference by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free.  https://pix4free.org/photo/1651/reference.html