AskaSpecialist Consultation Service
What is the Ask a Specialist Consultation Service?
The Ask a Specialist Consultation Service provides a personalised session designed to assist clients with complex or in-depth enquiries in the subject areas of Westraliana, Children’s literature, Family History, Indigenous services and Music.
General reference support is available from the State Library of Western Australia either by phone or in person at the reference desks on each floor of the library or by email through the “Ask Us” service. The Consultation Service is offered as a follow up should further specialist support be required.
The Consultation Service provides information on how to use the State Library’s resources and services and is designed to better enable our clients to understand the resources available to provide information appropriate to their research.
What does the Consultation Service provide?
The service is a one-on-one customised session of up to 45 minutes where a Subject Specialist will work with the client to offer:
- a search strategy for their enquiry
- advice in identifying and assistance in using appropriate guides, indexes, catalogues, databases, subject terms and other resources to research their topic.
We are committed to:
- providing a free service
- delivering timely, relevant, accurate and courteous responses to enquiries
Please note that our specialist staff are experts in locating and providing access to information and resources rather than experts in a particular subject field.
Who can access our Consultation Service?
All Western Australians and those visiting the State are our clients and have access to this service. The service is designed for clients visiting the State Library who have a complex or in-depth enquiry relating to our unique resources that cannot be met by the general reference service. To ensure an equitable service for all of our clients, our Consultation Service can be provided up to four times in a twelve month period per person.
We are able to:
- Assist clients in finding information from various sources including State Library resources as well as resources available in other libraries, institutions, organisations and online if required.
- Spend up to 45 minutes responding to a particular enquiry. This time includes all research, correspondence and administrative work undertaken as part of the enquiry.
- Respond to your request within 5–10 working days. Please note that the Consultation Service is available during standard office hours, i.e. enquiries submitted on Friday afternoon will be actioned on Monday morning.
- Refer you to on-line and hard copy resources developed by the State Library’s specialists as well as to training and information sessions devised by our specialists as part of the library’s commitment to community education.
- Refer you to a third party agency or researcher who may be able to assist or undertake research work for a fee when your enquiry requires on-going or in-depth research such as exploring your family tree, researching for a book or assignment.
We are unable to:
- Provide research for student assignments however, we can offer advice and suggestions for independent research.
- Respond to enquiries which do not include an address and one other form of contact.
How do I book an appointment for a Consultation Service?
This service is available to State Library clients by appointment and is accessible to clients who are able to visit the Library.
As a remote client you can either email your request through our Ask Us service, which will be forwarded to a subject specialist if requiring specialist support or, you can contact the library on 9427 3111 and request reference support.
As a visitor to the State Library of Western Australia your request for a specialist consultation can be made with the help of reference staff or through the use of our online enquiry form.
Subject Specialist staff will then follow up with you to make an appointment.
To ensure that we pass on your request for a consultation to the Subject Specialist with the most appropriate knowledge to meet your information needs, please complete our on-line enquiry form or contact the Library on 9427 3111. If you are visiting the State Library, our reference staff may refer you to a Subject Specialist to discuss making an appointment.
Page last updated: Monday 18 April 2011
