Reference question experience

[Holly Miller]

Hi All,

I had a reference transaction the day before yesterday and I would appreciate is you shared some insight/feedback with me.

A woman came to my desk and asked for a book about chromosomes. I usually use such questions as an entre into instruction on using our online catalog. But when I headed to the computers, saying we could look it up in the catalog, she stopped and asked "Don't you know what book I need?" I know where the molecular biology and genetic sections are so I took up up to the stacks. We paged through a few books and she kept saying that what I was showing her wasn't what she wanted. At one point I showed her a basic molecular biology book that started with DNA and moved up from there and she said "That's DNA,  I don't want DNA, I want chromosomes!" I was getting a bit frustrated so I blurted out "You do know that chromosomes are made of DNA, don't you?" She said yes and didn't seem very offended but I was sorry as soon as the words left my lips. Eventually I understood that she wanted a karyogram (a picture of chromosomes that shows the banding). I asked her to let me search on the computer for a while. I did a google search for karyogram in images and found an online Human Genetics book at NCBI. I looked in our catalog and saw that we had the most recent edition in our collection. I called her and told her I had found something. She was satisfied, although she did request a smaller book. I said she could just photocopy the image she wanted and then wouldn't have to carry around the whole book. That seemed to satisfy her. So, any helpful hints on how I could have handled this better? Also, any positive comments (if you have them) would be appreciated too. I feel like I really dropped the ball on that one but she did get what she wanted in the end so I guess I did ok.

Thanks,
Holly