I recently had the opportunity to shadow our business librarian, Amanda, in her follow-up meeting with a patron. Beforehand, she caught me up on the general background of the inquiry, the progress made so far, and her goals for this next meeting. When the patron arrived, Amanda explained my desire to observe, which the patron was happy to consent to.

The librarian used my unfamiliarity as an opportunity to have the patron tell me about the business and describe what they were hoping to accomplish. This provided a solid foundation to get all of us on similar pages. Amanda already had her notes up from the previous meeting, along with the new research she brought with her. It was quickly apparent that the patron was all over the place with ideas, dreams, worries, and reservations. She was having a hard time focusing on the defined objectives. All the while, Amanda remained incredibly patient, listening intently and pointing the patron to their notes to help redirect/guide the conversation as necessary. She maintained kindness, professionalism, and tact toward the patron, upholding a friendly demeanor throughout the entire hour.

In the end, the patron took a moment to thank us for listening and for treating her like a human. She explained how the last 2 years have brought so much loss and change in her life, and just having people care enough to brainstorm about her business and encourage her was a game-changer.