Skip to main content

Table of Contents

  1. Unit One - Locating Information on Behalf of Clients

Unit One - Locating Information on Behalf of Clients

Unit 1 aims to develop your skills in working logically through the steps of a reference enquiry, typical for a public library, using Internet resources. If you are a member of staff in a public library who deals with information enquiries from clients and answers them using the Internet, you will have developed some or all of the expertise required for this unit. Read through the following information carefully. It summarises the knowledge and skills which you need in order to produce evidence of your competence.

You can download a Training Needs Analysis, which will help you to determine your readiness for undertaking this unit, by clicking on the following link:

Unit1: Training Needs Analysis

The unit involves interacting with library clients, establishing their information needs and using the Internet to search for the required information. This must be done in a real library environment and you will need access to the Internet, preferably broadband. Click on any of the links below for further information:

    1. Define the precise nature of the enquiry in conjunction with the client
    2. Create a search strategy to fully satisfy the enquiry
    3. Evaluate the results of the search in terms of validity of information found and its appropriateness in meeting the client's needs

Click on the following link to see the knowledge and skills which relate to each of these outcomes:

Outcome 1

Outcome 2

Outcome 3


The unit is assessed through four short searches and one extended search. These searches will be related to typical information needs of public library clients. Click on the following link to see some examples of typical searches:

Unit 1: Typical Searches