Reference desk · common questions
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions the reference desk receives most often, grouped by subject. If your question is not here, write to the desk; questions that arrive more than three times are added to this page.
Using the catalogue
Do I need an account to read anything?
No. Every entry, toolkit and publication can be read, printed and reused without registering. We do not operate reader accounts, and there is nothing behind a login.
What does a shelf mark mean?
A shelf mark places an entry in the classification. MC 640.3 reads as subject class 640 (home, food and daily systems), subdivision 3 (cleaning and maintenance routines). Prefixes mark the item type: TK for toolkits, PUB for publications, CP for community programmes. The full scheme is on the topics page.
How do I search the whole library?
The field in the header filters whatever page you are on, including the knowledge index on the home page. For a subject search, start with the topics page or the alphabetical directory at the foot of the home page. If you cannot find something, the reference desk will look for you.
Can I read on a phone?
Yes. Pages are designed to reflow to any screen width, and the display settings under the accessibility button apply on any device. Printable toolkits are laid out for paper and are best downloaded rather than read on a small screen.
Reuse and permissions
May I print toolkits for a class or a community group?
Yes, for non-commercial educational use, provided the shelf mark and the library's name remain on the sheet. This covers schools, libraries, community organisations, workplaces running internal training, and informal groups.
May I adapt a worksheet for my community?
Yes. If you would like the adaptation listed in the catalogue, send it to the reference desk with a note on what you changed and why. Adaptations that correct a local difference are especially useful.
May I republish an article on my own site?
Short extracts with attribution and a link are fine. Full republication needs written permission, which we grant routinely to non-commercial educational sites. Write to the desk with the shelf mark and where it would appear.
May I use this material commercially?
Not without written permission. The catalogue is published for public educational use, and commercial reuse would sit oddly with a library that carries no advertising.
Editorial questions
Who writes the entries?
The editorial desk writes most of them. Some are contributed by readers and volunteers and go through the same four-stage review. Contributors are credited unless they ask not to be. The process is described on the about page.
Do you recommend specific products or services?
No. We describe categories of tool and the questions worth asking about them. We carry no advertising, accept no sponsored content and use no affiliate links.
How current is the material?
Every entry carries a review date, and collections are reviewed twice a year. Where an entry summarises guidance from a public body, it states when the summary was checked and points to the source for current instructions, because official guidance can change between our reviews.
I found an error. What happens?
Write to the reference desk with the shelf mark and, if you have one, the source that corrects it. Confirmed errors are fixed promptly and a revision note is added to the entry. You will get a reply either way, including if we decide not to make the change and why.
Limits of what we publish
Can you tell me what to do in my situation?
No. The library explains how things generally work; it does not advise on individual circumstances. For a decision that turns on your specific facts — legal, financial, medical or employment — you need a qualified professional. Our entries try to name the kind of professional and the questions worth putting to them.
Do you keep a directory of local services?
No. Service directories go out of date quickly and we could not maintain one honestly. Instead, entries explain how a type of service is usually organised and how to find the current provider in your municipality.
Why is there no discussion forum?
Discussion here is structured around published material, in reading circles and workshops with a facilitator and a written record. An unmoderated forum would need resources we would rather spend on the catalogue.
The library itself
Can I visit?
The reading room in the Exchange District is open by appointment during office hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Write ahead so that the material you want is on the desk when you arrive. The Bannatyne Avenue entrance is step-free.
How is the library funded?
By programme grants, fees paid by partner organisations for facilitated sessions, and individual donations. Where a grant funds a specific publication, the publication says so.
How can I help?
Volunteers facilitate sessions, read drafts for clarity, and check that cited sources are still current. Roles and the commitment each involves are described on the community page.
Still looking?
The reference desk answers written enquiries within two business days, including requests to find material we have not catalogued and requests for an entry in an accessible format.