Things to Do First

· Read the entire question.

· Try to anticipate the age and the English language comprehension level of the patron you are writing for. Don't censor on the basis of this guess, but do be aware of potential difficulties.

· Anticipate the kind of answer wanted. Don't become so caught up in answering the question that you forget what the patron really wants.

Salutation: Open with a greeting of some kind. Try to base your decision on the way in which the question was phrased (how formal, informal, etc.)

Acknowledgment of Question: Say that you are writing to answer the question.

This may take the form of a "thank you for your question about woodchucks" or "I'm writing to answer your question about bugs."

Answer: Answer the question the patron asks.

If you veer off from the actual question, be sure to explain your departure. If they ask for a factual answer and you can only provide sources, say so and explain why. If any part of your answer could be construed as medical or legal advice, insert a disclaimer that you are not a physician/lawyer, that you are only reporting what you found and that the patron should consult an appropriate authority before acting on the information provided.

Cite your source: Always tell the patron where your information comes from.

· If at any point you insert your own opinion, be sure that it is clearly marked as such.

· When citing web sources, be sure to include the address on a separate line, starting with the "http://" -- that will make it easier for the patron to cut and paste the address and have it work in any browser. Be sure not to include any punctuation after the URL, as this may interfere with its function. It will also make it easier for URLs to be identified quickly in an answer, by both humans and machines.

· Exception: if the URL is the icky-looking result of a search interface, give the URL for the search page and then give the exact search string you used. If applicable, don't forget to mention in these cases that you are only providing a sample of the results and that the patron may want to look at more.

Show how you got there: Let the patron know how you found the answer.

· If it came off the web, tell how you found it (e.g., what search engine, using what search string).

· Exceptions:

o If you started with a search engine but then just started clicking links tell them that; don't include every step you made, even if you remember.

o If you use a source that you know off the top of your head (Amazon, POTUS, Internet Movie Database, etc.) say that and give the URL and a brief explanation, if you think it’s necessary (“The IMDB is probably the best-known source for movie information on the Internet.”)

Closing: Give at least some kind of closing (thanks, I hope this helps, feel free to write back, etc.)

· Proofread your answers for grammar, style and spelling.

· Check to make sure your links work.

· Make sure your source has some basis (or, at the very least, appearance) of authority.

· Avoid using library/Internet jargon without at least explaining it. Examples of this include: ILL (or even Interlibrary Loan, unless you explain what it is), OPAC, LCSH, URL. It is also better to refer to academic libraries as "college" or "university" libraries.

· Be sure to answer or address all parts of a question, and don't stop short just because you find incomplete information in one source. For example, if a patron asks for the date of a particular event, and all you find in one source is the year or month of the event, look harder to find the actual date. This even applies when one source says that no one knows anything more specific. If you repeatedly find that same assertion then pass it along to the patron, but don't trust the first source that tells you so.