“Am I going to cope?”. Starting information enquiry work on the first day of work experience, in a first professional post, or in a subsequent new post with a different clientele and subject orientation, we have all most probably asked ourselves this question. Such insecurity generally stems from a lack of knowledge of our new clientele and from the vast territory of information sources in their multifarious formats with which information professionals are confronted today. There are, however, a number of general principles which, if assimilated and carried forward, will help overcome much initial fear. It is these principles which Tim Owen addresses, based on his many years of experience in enquiry work at Westminster Central Reference Library, the City Business Library and currently at the London Research Centre where he is principal information officer.
The work is described as a “desk‐book aiming to help the information professional to become self‐sufficient in answering enquiries”. It certainly helps immediately by its larger typeface, its lively style and being quick and interesting to read. Its eight succinct chapters are linked by the thread of seven questions carefully chosen to illustrate seven different types of enquirer such as “the generalist” – the most common in my experience – to “the obsessively secret”. Throughout, classic teaching principles apply. Each chapter starts with an overview box of what the reader will achieve, presents the information under emboldened heading and subheadings which for reference are also indexed, and ends with a “To recap...” box of between three and five salient points.
From examples of common misunderstandings you are guided into how to ask the right questions – whether open, closed, forced choice, multiple, leading or hypothetical – to establish what the seven enquirers really want before agreeing the task. Other issues dealt with sensibly at the start include the importance of keeping good records (a number of information centres I have visited over the last five years still did not) and agreeing clear deadlines. It proceeds to address the issues of the correct amount and level of information and what to do to avoid panic if your mind “goes blank” – prerequisites before moving on to the topics of choosing the best information sources for the job in‐hand and the relative merits of printed sources, portable databases and online services, developing efficient search strategies, referrals, and presenting the findings.
In such a broad‐ranging text we would not expect an extensive evaluative listing of sources such as in Walford’s Guide to Reference Material. Tim Owen guides us rather to the type or category of information which will do the job with illustrative examples. A number of these appear at the start as a small core of 25 multipurpose reference sources and their international equivalents worth having at our fingertips, full details of which appear with their available Web site addresses at the end. It is a sensible selection and the author admits that some favourites will not have been included, but I was surprised to see The Times Index omitted from this listing, especially as it is given some prominence in Chapter 2, on pages 16, 17 and 20.
Success at the Enquiry Desk, as part of the series The Successful LIS Professional, edited by Sheila Pantry, is aimed at anyone entering or already in the profession and in this it succeeds. It is a valuable student textbook, and a refresher course and reference checklist for professional practitioners and trainers. As its scope excludes non‐verbal communication and body language, it needs to be used alongside another text, such as Allan Pease’s Body Language, to complete the picture of those significant factors contributing to overall success.
A final word, however, for those who already own the previous edition. The changes in this latest edition are very few. This second revised edition presents the same seven questions and same discussion in its chapters and at the end of the book I was left with the feeling that I had read most of the book before. The only changes I perceived were: some title changes; a couple of additions to the bibliography of key reference sources and Web site addresses; and the listing in the chapter on the Internet of more search engines and their special strengths. Although principles remain the same, it would be beneficial in the next edition to have different questions as the examples and the foundation for comment. Nevertheless, for those considering purchasing Success at the Enquiry Desk for the first time – buy it.
