Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.
Required skills
communication skills to:
respond to customer needs in a supportive and helpful manner
provide information literacy support and basic coaching to customers
apply active listening and questioning techniques when communicating with customers
initiative and enterprise skills to source information to meet customer needs in a timely fashion
literacy skills to:
interrogate references
interpret and write a broad range of information
problem-solving skills to identify the best search strategies to locate information for customers
self-management skills to:
prioritise work tasks and meet deadlines
project a professional image when dealing with customers
teamwork skills to work collaboratively with colleagues
technology skills to access information using automated systems.
Required knowledge
organisational policies in relation to customer assistance
typical customer requests and information sources for responding
use of bibliographic tools and industry-current technology
techniques for using print and electronic reference resources and tools, including formulating search strategies
range of information resources, formats and delivery options, including:
document delivery and supply processes
electronic and print
interlibrary loan
copyright, moral rights and intellectual property legislation and issues relevant to information services providers
cultural considerations when working with customers and potentially sensitive material
scope of information sources available either from within the organisation or from external sources.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Customer contact may be: | by fax by phone in person in writing via email via live chat via SMS via website. |
Exact naturemay relate to: | definition of the subject or topic keywords phrases terms. |
Purposemay include: | for general interest for presentation for school or university assignment for self or others for work in response to an information need personal or family reasons. |
Special requirements may relate to: | level of detail photocopies printing from internet timelines specific formats, such as: audio or video recordings books images large print books newspaper and journal articles posters to be collected later to be delivered via email. |
Information sources and equipment may include: | electronic databases federated search engines internet websites library websites online catalogues other library catalogues print or electronic reference tools, such as: dictionaries encyclopaedias indexing services statistical sources. |
Constraintsmay include: | bookings for computer workstations cost ethical considerations information resources not available for loan limits on number of concurrent users of databases organisational policy restrictions on access to required information terms and conditions of licensing agreements. |
Readily accessed sources may include: | catalogues online and other databases organisation’s collection or remote sources of information that are routinely accessed. |
Customer requests may relate to: | basic research topics community information current or topical information for customer groups, such as: general interest topics school assignments frequently requested information simple ready reference queries, such as for: basic subject searches specific authors titles. |
Appropriate format may depend on factors, such as: | age cultural and language background educational background language, literacy and numeracy levels level of general knowledge physical and intellectual disabilities preference, such as print or electronic readership level. |
Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.
Observation Checklist