Reference/Information Services
The Information Access Services division at the Central Library specializes in assisting customers with their informational queries. Basic reference service is also available at branch libraries. Questions asked cover the entire range of human knowledge. Answers may be located in resources in the library’s collection, in remotely accessed electronic resources, or through a referral. Library staff is always available to provide guidance, suggest sources, provide instruction in the use of print and electronic resources, and to point the way to answers for specific questions. Approximately 17,000 in-person and call-in questions are handled each month by the Central Library reference staff.

All services and collections are available to people of all ages. All questions asked of the library staff receive equal treatment. Questions that involve extensive research are available to people who live, work, or own property in Pasadena. Our philosophy is to provide a high quality level of service: accurate, prompt, and oriented to our customer’s needs.

Reference service is available through several points of access:

Come in-person to any Pasadena Public Library location

Telephone the Central Library at (626) 744-4066 or any branch library

Mail a question to the Central Library Reference Section

E-mail your request using our Ask a Librarian service

Chat live with a librarian via our 24/7 Reference Service (AskNow)

Library Tours
The staff of the Pasadena Public Library provides tours of the Reference Collection, which includes use of the library's computer catalog, magazine and newspaper indexes, the Internet and the Microform Room and Periodicals collection. Tours can be broad-based or tailored to specific areas of the collection, such as job and career resources, business collections, government documents, etc.  We will customize our tours for different age groups and for people with special needs. Please contact us at least a week in advance to schedule your tour at (626)744-4066, option 7.  Please see our Central Library Tours page for other available tours.

Internet Access
Internet workstations are available at the Central Library and all branch libraries.   Reservations may be made at branch libraries for 30-minute use.   At the Central library, Internet workstations are available for one 60-minute session per day.  Information may be downloaded or printed at $.10 per page.  Please refer to the Internet Use Policy for detailed information.

The Pasadena Public Library is also pleased to offer free wireless Internet access to patrons with appropriately equipped wireless devices, a valid Pasadena Public Library card and PIN.  Please read our Wireless Internet Access introduction for further details on locations and configuration.

Services to the Homebased
This program is designed to provide library materials to anyone who is a resident of Pasadena and is confined to their home or a convalescent center due to illness, injury or disability.  Each homebased patron is individually profiled and matched with a volunteer on a one-to-one basis, with the exception of patrons in retirement and convalescent homes that receive services from a volunteer. The volunteer will visit the library and select reading and other materials for a person who is homebased.  Materials include large-type books, books-on-tape and music cassettes.   Reference desk personnel are available to assist in filling the patron's special requests. Once library materials have been selected and checked out using the patron's own library card, volunteers will then contact their patron and deliver the books.

For more information call (626) 744-7076

Volunteer Services
In order to maintain high quality service and manage the high volume of activity at all ten library locations, the Pasadena Public Library has an established volunteer program, designed to save tax dollars and use staff time effectively. The volunteer program allows citizens to participate in the spirit of public cooperation by giving the library the benefit of their many skills and talents.

For further information, please call Christine Reeder, Volunteer Coordinator, 
at (626) 744-7076.  Or read more and fill out an application online at Volunteer Opportunities.

Bookstore Customer Service Assistant:  Serve the public directly as an assistant in the bookstore greeting customers and assisting with purchases, including the use of a cash register.  Sort, clean and shelve used books and create displays of books and other merchandise.  Restock inventory as required.
Training and orientation will be provided.  Requires a minimum commitment of four hours monthly.  Hours available include afternoons and weekends.

For further information, please call Christine Reeder, Volunteer Coordinator, 
at (626) 744-7076.

                                                                                    Last update: September 16, 2006